Briarfeather and Cinderblaze
by Tigercry
Summary: In consideration of those who aren't a big fan of Cinderblaze(Cinder x Lion) and or Briarfeather (Jay x Briar) but like my warriors Human One-Shot story I have written this! :) Briarfeather and Cinderblaze as humans!
1. Character Descrips

Cynthia Cindy Lawson- Cinderheart

Cynthia has relatively straight black hair with the ends dyed a dark silver usually up in a high pony with sapphire blue eyes, she has a thin cute spread of freckles across her nose and her cheekbones, she's also quite strong, tall and slim. Knows about fashion but tends not to go through the fuss, instead content in her own half lazy half fashion decent clothing style. Her style is "Relax and have fun," her typical outfit is a t-shirt or half sleeve of some color usually blue under one of her hoodie vests with the thunder basketball and or wrestling team logos on the back paired with light colored skinny jeans, usually a light grey with a pair of dark blue rimmed glasses perched on the top of her head, the glasses design are cool enough to not look geeky. After Leon asked her to a dance she has the silver locket either tucked in a pocket or around her neck in plain view of everyone, it's her good luck charm she says. She loves sports as much as her friends and does wrestling, basketball, and swimming (her secret favorite sport)

Fun fact: Cynthia's vision is wonky and everything is tinted blue for her, the reflection part of her eyes is more sensitive to blue than any other color. She's supposed to wear contacts and glasses to correct it but she often "Forgets" to actually put them on over her eyes.

Haliah Honey Lawson- Honeyfern

Haliah has curly honey blonde hair usually down and framing her face, with emerald green eyes, she's slim, thin, and very pretty. She's a fashionista and loves playing around with the new trends that are going on. Her outfit changes everyday need I say more? Hates sports loves drama and chatting with her friends. Her twin sister is Paige.

Fun fact: Haliah's been poisoned by a snake before and narrowly lived to tell the tale

Paige Poppy Lawson- Poppyfrost

Paige has wavy lighter brown hair usually in a braid or in other hair styles and hazel colored eyes, she's built like her twin and is just as noticeable. Like her sister she likes fashion and has a tendency to go off on a tirade on different clothing styles and frustrates her younger sister to no end, her outfits changes every day also. She likes to play soccer and does drama, she's usually around her twin chatting with friends. Haliah is her twin sister.

Fun fact: She has a crush on the guy her twin likes, causing a love triangle.

Jay Jackson Bramble- Jayfeather

Jay has messy black hair with premature gray streaks all throughout, making him seem a little older than he actually is, he also had blind sky blue eyes. His style is smart but cool, his typical outfit is gray or black t-shirts, dark washed denim pants, white sneakers, black sunglasses to hide his eyes, and a dark gray hoodie with darker stripes on the back tied around his waist. Jay might be blind but he loves to read, draw, be grumpy, and mess with his siblings. His twin sister is Holly.

Fun fact: Jay can read thoughts and sense the people he knows well moods.

Leonardo Landon Bramble- Lionblaze

Leon has golden blonde hair that he keeps up in spikes to stop his hair from sticking up in every direction and amber eyes. His style is half slacker half everyday jock. His typical outfit consists of different colored basketball shorts or loose dark washed jeans, white or gray basketball shoes, different colored t-shirts, white sunglasses with orange tint perched on the top of his head, and usually a light blue hoodie with the thunder team emblem emblazoned on the back, tied around his waist. Leon is tall, strong, lean and moderately muscular, which draws a lot of girls attention. He's agile, quick on his feet, and a good wrestler. His best friends are Cynthia Lawson and Fin Mathis.

Fun Fact: He's extremely awkward and shy around pretty girls he hasn't known for a while.

Holly Hailey Bramble- Hollyleaf

Holly has straight black hair usually up in a ponytail or messy bun with bright emerald green eyes, she's a bit on the short side, shorter than Cynthia but taller than Bree, and is moderately strong and slim. Her style is cool and crisp, her outfits usually consists of no denim pants, instead wearing a skirt or pants of another material and wearing a button up mostly buttoned up short or long sleeve over a cami that matches the shirt's color, she usually has a jacket of some kind either on around tied neatly around her waist, her shoes depend on the rest of her outfit. After the whole sewer thing, she wears a silver pendant the shape of a water droplet with a jade gemstone that she hides so nobody knows about it except Cynthia. Holly is intellectually smart and quick thinking, she also has a quick wit and sharp tongue so everyone is advised to stay in her good books. She shares a room with Cynthia because her friend got disowned.

Fun fact: Holly secretly roots for her brother and best friend to get together and completely panics when exams roll around.

Brendon Brad Michaels- Berrynose

Brendon is the school's most popular guy; with blonde hair and darker roots usually swept to the side of his face with jade green eyes most girls have a crush on him. Brendon is stronger than he looks being muscular, thin, tall and lean. He competes with Leon in the unofficial who's the hottest category that most of the girl population have running. His style is more kick back and relax then follow the rules, with dark washed jeans, a t-shirt of some color, a dark brown leather jacket, white sneakers, and a pair of black sunglass with blue lenses perched on his head or covering his eyes making him "cooler". He's very arrogant and tends to treat other like they're under him, except the lawson sisters, of course, then he's all sweet talk and flirt than arrogant and egotistical.

Fun Fact: Brendon stays away from Cynthia after she punched him in the gut for using a few pathetic pick lines on her.

Mike Mathew Michaels- Mousewhisker

Mike is a seemingly average teddy bear guy with messy light brown hair, kind chocolate puppy eyes and a lot of freckles across his nose and cheeks, but he isn't average at all. His style is sports and family work, his outfit usually consists of loose blue jeans that usually has a few cuts or rips, with a plain t-shirt under a basketball jersey with blue sneakers usually streaked with a small bit of mud. He's shorter than his sister, very agile and loves playing sports. He plays a few and puts his good foot forward for each one. His twin sister is Hazel.

Fun fact: Mike works with his sister and dad on their farm, having no issues with hard work, unlike his brother.

Hazel Hannah Michaels- Hazeltail

Hazel has a mixture of her sibling's hair colors, light brown with light blonde streaks al throughout with hazel brown eyes. Her style is: Appearance? Don't care. She wears blue jeans usually streaked with paint, marker, or sometimes dirt from early morning chores, a colored t-shirt that usually says something like, "Smile cause I'm not part of the world," with a dark colored hoodie over it and mud stained light green sneakers. Hazel is a natural artist like Holly except she's better at aiding Fin in prank plans than drawing in art class. She's Fin's other best friend and helps him with every prank he pulls. Hazel is average height, thin, slim and strong. She helps her dad out on the farm any time she's free, happy to help and prove herself.

Fun Fact: Hazel is extremely mischievous and has a photographic memory, meaning she remembers the exact placement of things, meaning awesome pranks.

Fin Fox Mathis- Foxleap

Fin is a messy-haired ginger with freckles spread out all over his face, average height, and mischievous green eyes. His style is casual and blending in, dark washed denim pants, a light colored t-shirt, a hoodie that matches Hazel's and white sneakers with neon green stripes along the sides. He's way stronger than he looks and is always beyond hyper with enough energy to power a skyscraper. Pranking is his life, that's what he does, pranks of everything imaginable. His best friend is Hazel and his twin sister is Isabella.

Fun Fact: His favorite person to prank is his English teacher and father Dustin

Isabella Mathis- Icecloud

Isabella has platinum blonde hair and icy blue eyes with a wide smile and a few faint freckles across her nose. Her style is (I'm dying from writing this so many times! XD) cute and casual, her goal is to get Leon to notice her. Isabella's outfit is usually white skinny jeans, a light blue t-shirt, light gray hoodie, and light gray running shoes, she also plays on the thunder basketball team. She's as tall as Cynthia and slim and lean, preferring to run then try and break free, she's built more for speed than power, almost the opposite of Cynthia. She's one of Cynthia's rivals for Leon's attention.

Fun Fact: She plays on the team because she wants to beat Cynthia at something and because Leon urged her to play.

(I'm dying! So many descriptions! XD)

Ivory(Ivy) Fernandes- Ivypool

Ivory has shoulder length wavy platinum blonde hair after joining the dark forest she dyes the ends teal, with leafy green eyes that contain many shades of green she commonly says are turquoise. Despite Ivory's insecurities, she's actually quite pretty, with tanned skin, a faint spray of freckles across her face, she's also tall, lean, and strong. Her style is, "I don't care what you think" her typical outfit is black skinny jeans, lightweight custom made black combat boots, a dark grey or black t-shirt with a black hoodie with a skull that says, "Go away if you're going to waste my time," either on or tied around her waist. Ivory is a black belt in karate and a skilled fighter thanks to the dark forest, there she feels appreciated and not under her twin sister's shadow. With that confidence, she changes her look to what she wears here, dyes the ends of her hair teal, and keeps her grades up. She plays soccer with her sister Diana and she nickname at school is She-Devil (Copyright Dark frost :))

Fun Fact: Like Cynthia and Leon Ivory carries a switchblade on her person just in case, but she carries around two and prefers to keep them in a specialized slot in her combat boots.

Diana Daphne Fernandes- Dovewing

Diana has long wavy platinum blonde hair dyed baby pink at the ends with fair skin and sky blue eyes that glimmer with excitement, She's petite, slim, and slender. Her style depends on the situation, around school her style is, "Popularity is cool!" She wears a lot of the latest trends but not often wearing skirts or dresses. When out with Tyler or Ben her style is, "I hope I don't embarrass myself" and she wears more laid back clothes, still a designer and very pretty but more laid back than what she wears at school. She hates every sport except soccer and loves drama and theater that being her favorite after school activity besides walking home with Tyler and Ben. Diana tends to be quite naive to the world and often argues with her sister because of that.

Breanna Grayas- Briarlight

Bree is paralyzed from the waist down and is usually found in an average wheelchair that contains a snap on table. However, she is capable of using crutches and has developed plenty of muscle in her arms. She has dark brown wavy slightly past shoulder length hair and bright amber eyes with barely visible flecks of green inside. She is a little above average height despite sitting in a wheelchair all day and is quite lean and fit. Her style is, "I'm just sitting here, might as well be comfortable," so most of the time her outfit consists of loose blue jeans that hide the braces she has to keep her legs from moving, a bright colored t-shirt usually saying something along the lines of, "Cheer up! The world isn't ending yet!" She switches off between a yellow and orange polka dot hoodie with a yellow sun on the front earning her the nickname, "Sunshine" A sky blue hoodie with a bright clouds covering it, the words said, "Clouds aren't always gloomy" and a light green and dark green striped hoodie with flowers that says, "Flowers always grow and so do you!" Paired usually white a pair of white sneakers that have stripes of bright sky blue (her favorite color) along the sides along with the same color of shoelaces. She's extremely positive and loves helping people, even after her accident she's super hyperactive and very lite hearted, the people who know her and know what she goes through says she has a heart with the value of gold. She's tried to play soccer with her wheelchair before and failed miserably but she keeps on trying. One of her fears is letting her temper flare.

Fun Fact: On the back of Bree's wheelchair isn't just her backpack, there's also what she calls, "The Happiness dispenser." It's basically a tiny cooler with a barrage of candy and chocolate bars that she lets people choose from if they seem upset after she cheers them up with her silliness.

(Ok I loved writing this one, Bree cracks me up! :) I wish I had a "Happiness dispenser :D)

Benjamin Bruce Grayas- Bumblestripe

Ben isn't as out there is his sister is but he's still important. Ben has dark brown hair like his sister except he has streaks of bright blonde running through his messy hair, he also has baby blue eyes. His style is, "I'm not anything I'm not supposed to be," so he's confident in himself and his outfit usually consists of lighter t-shirts, blue jeans, and a light gray hoodie with black stripes like a bumblebee on the back. He's relatively calm but loves to crack jokes, play soccer, and mess about with his friends and siblings. Ben admires his sister Bree and does everything he can not to pity her and help her do things she can't do. He also loved his sister Brittany but is upset by her angry actions towards Bree.

Brittany Bailey Grayas- Blossomfall

Brittany has chestnut long wavy hair usually up in a high ponytail with her bangs swept over her left eye, she has baby blue eyes like her twin. Her style is, "Popular but cool." Brittany is a popular girl at school so her usual outfit consists of darker jeans with stylish rips, a short sleeve shirt of some kind, black or gray shoes that depend on her outfit and usually has a thin bead necklace around her neck that Bree has made her years ago. She's quite enthusiastic at school but is inwardly bitter because of the attention her sister gets while she's neglected. She's good at a lot of things and enjoys learning how to fight in the dark forest, going home and testing some of her new moves on her sister. After they reconciled she's a lot happier with a spring in her step like her sister. Her outfit changes to be a little lighter with Bree occasionally insisting she wore one of her hoodies or a cheerful t-shirt. Brittany's personal favorite of her sister's is a light gray t-shirt with a lake on the front that says, "Don't cry a puddle, let it out and cry a lake instead."

Fun fact- Brittany loves her siblings very much and actually teaches Ben how to defend himself after her and Bree reconciled, fixing the relationships between her siblings.

Hadara Mason- Halfmoon

Halfmoon has light blonde hair with the ends dyed a soft white, fair skin and crystal blue eyes. She's tall, slender, and is very gentle most of the time. Her style is, "I'm trying to fit in… Is it working?" She gets help from Cynthia and Holly occasionally but her normal outfit is light colored jeggings or skinny jeans, a light colored half sleeve usually a blue that matches her eyes, with white sneakers, a light gray across-body bag, and a worn and partially broken necklace from someone she used to know. She's gentle, kind, patient and very smart, and gets along with virtually everyone. Her foster brother is Finli

Fun Fact- Jay reminds her of her best friend Jackson, that's why she gets along with his so well.

Tyler Travis Jacobs- Tigerheart

Tyler is a bad boy, with messy dark brown hair and amber eyes. His style is focused on his brother who drowned under the ice in the lake, "I won't forget and I'll make you proud."

Firen Franchise- Firestar

Firen is a ginger with messy red hair, tanned skin, and emerald green eyes like his grand daughter Holly. His style is, "professional but relaxed." His typical outfit is a collared shirt tucked into a pair of slacks, tennis shoes that decently match, and black rimmed, green tinted sunglasses perched on top of his head. As a teenager, his style was, "Responsible but outgoing." His typical outfit was loose blue jeans, a variety of t-shirts, white chucks, black rimmed, green tinted sunglass perched on his head, and a hoodie that looked like it was on fire on or tied around his waist. Firen is smart and responsible but with a bit of a rebellious streak that led him to have many adventures during his teen and young adult years.

Fun Fact: As a teen Firen used to have a crush on a girl a few years older than him who was a doctor named Dr. Sophie Silver.


	2. Briarfeather, Let Me Help Jay

_**So in consideration for those who don't like briarfeather, I decided to post this missing moment in a separate story, who knows? I might even start a series for these two couples :)**_

 _Let Me Help You This Once... Or Many Times._

Bree rolled down the hallway to hear shouting and sneering accompanied with the banging sound of someone getting pushed into a locker. She decided to investigate, rolling over and finding that Brendon was bullying Jay, shoving him into a locker and sneering about his blindness… He was shoving him into her locker… again. Anger flickered in Brees mind as she rolled over, purposely rolling on top of Brendon's foot and stopping. "Is something going on?" She asked, his foot still pinned under her chair. Brendon's face twisted with pain.

"No," He said in a strangled voice, "Can you get off my foot?"

"No, I won't get off your foot, but I will call Cynthia over here."

"Please don't do that!" Brendon yelled, not eager for the black haired girl to come over and have another excuse to punch him in the face yet again.

"I will if you don't promise to leave Jay alone."

"For how long?"

"As long as you like both Haliah and Paige." She saw his face pale, "Yeah, I know you like both of them, which one? The golden blonde with green eyes? Or the light brunette with hazel eyes. You're going to have to choose one day." She examined her fingernails casually, "Oh, I'll also tell them you like them both and I'll even tell Cynthia you've kissed both of them."

Brendon blanched and quickly spoke, "O-Ok fine, I'll leave BlindJay alone."

"..." Bree lifted her head to narrow her amber eyes at him, an unusually serious look on her face.

"I mean Jay, I'll leave Jay alone, now will you get off my foot?!" Brendon asked his voice higher pitched in pain, his face twisted in extreme pain.

"Gladly." She rolled backward off his foot and he limped off to the cafeteria while Bree quickly turned and unlocked her locker before pulling Jay out by the front of his shirt. He stumbled and fell onto her lap, blind blue eyes dazed. "Hey Jay, locker again?" She asked with faint amusement, looking down at the sprawled boy half of him on her lap.

"Bleh, yes." He got to his feet and stumbled, rubbing his stomach like it hurt.

"Are you ok?" She asked him worriedly catching the stumble.

"In the gut again. You did pretty well right then," He commented, turning blind eyes on her, he seemed to struggle for a moment before he sighed, "Thanks for helping me."

"I was in the area," She smiled, "Let me know if he bothers you again."

Jay nodded and winced as he started to walk off towards the cafeteria.

"Let me help you," She abruptly seized him around the waist and pulled so he was sitting on top of her lap.

"I can handle it on my own Bree-" He said moving to get up.

"Stay still or I will, roll over your foot like you told me how to do it on Brendon and Braxton." He obediently sat back down. She moved her head to one side to see over his shoulder before putting her hands on the pushing rails of the wheels and starting to push her chair in the direction she wanted to go, towards the nurse's office.

"Bree you're going the wrong way," Jay said curtly, his cheeks red as a few other kids passed them.

"I'm going where I want to go and where you're coming to... Hey, Paige!" She chirped as the light brunette passed on the way to the cafeteria, "Having a good day?"

Paige's eyes twinkled at the amusing sight and she smiled, "Not really, but you made it better as always." She grinned at the sight of the paralyzed girl rolling along with Jay sulking and sitting on her lap, arms crossed stubbornly over his chest

"Have a chocolate bar!" Bree grinned, reaching back and tossing her friend a large Twix bar before continuing on her way, greeting a few more people and asking if they were ok or needed anything. Finally, she continued her sentence to Jay, " We're going to the nurse's office where you can take care of yourself and I can make sure you do." She rolled into the nurse's office, "Hey Leah, Jay's gonna borrow some supplies for a minute ok? You can get off now Jay."

"You won't flatten my toes?"

"No, unless you try and leave."

"Thank goodness." He got off and disappeared to take care of his injury while Bree looked at the small notepad that she wrote down things people needed and she would help them with.

 _'Small notebook for Holly, Acrylic paint for Hazel, blueprint paper and white marked for Fin, new basketball for Leon, a new fantasy novel for Cynthia… hm… I think I have one she might like. Anyway, cell phone for Finli -not sure how I'm going to get that one- birthday card for Hannah, running shoes for Hadara, babysitter for Faia, and 100 copies of an assignment for Mr. Dustin. Not too bad, I'll have to dig a bit into my savings for that cell phone but that's ok.' "Get your butt back over here Jay,'_ " Bree broke out of her thoughts as Jay came back, she pointed to her lap, "You're not going anywhere till Math."

"Ugh, fine." He grumped, moving over to her and grumpily sitting back in her lap. Bree smiled at Leah and thanked her before turning and they both left "I can walk you know." He grumped some more.

"Maybe, but why not be happy you get a free ride?"

"Because I can walk."

"Well I can't and rolling around is way more interesting, I mean, I get to roll down my own ramps and never have to move a single muscle down there! Besides Jay, I want to help you for a while ok? Just let me guide you, you aren't being a hindrance and I like doing it."

"... Okay," He sighed, "I'll let you have you way this once."

"This once?"

"Okay, many times to come but right now just this once."

"Alright, I can agree to that." Bree chirped happily as they rolled into the cafeteria and over to their friends.

 ** _My grammar thing is seriously having issues XD Anyway, I hope you all like this! :)_**


	3. Cinderblaze Secrets and Lazy Competition

_Secrets and Lazy Competition_

 _Cinderblaze_

Cynthia froze as she turned the corner to enter the gym where Leon had asked her to meet him for helping him practice some new drills. Her blue eyes widened at the sight of her best friend and friend with benefits, Leon kissing Isabella one of the other girl basketball players on the team. The golden blonde boy's back against the wall. The main thought in her mind was, ' _Good grief. That's disgusting… But, of course, he got impatient.'_ She inwardly sighed and forced herself to keep going. "Leon?" She called his name patiently, guessing he wasn't going to respond. Sure enough, he only made a muffled noise. "Whatever. Anyway, I'm here like you asked, I'll wait outside while you finish this," She gestured to what he and Isa were doing, "Come get me when you're done." She slipped her bag off her shoulder and put it down on the floor, tempted to hit Isa in the back of the head with her basketball but forced it away, instead of leaving the gym and leaning back against one of the walls, ignoring other student's staring at her. ' _So… that's mildly disturbing.'_ Startled she felt tears prickling at her eyes, staring out the window she waited for Leon, forcing the tears back and staying calm about the whole thing despite how much she wanted to smack from sense into Leon and hit Isa.

"Oh, hey Cynthia." Cynthia turned her head as the gym doors opened and Isa left the gym, a wide grin on her face. Cynthia rolled her eyes at the tousled hair before replying.

"Are you done defiling our captain? I'm supposed to be working with him on drills," She suddenly noticed that Isa wasn't dressed in her basketball gear or even anything meant to exercise in. Mentally grinning she responded in a cool but blunt tone, "Or did you just come by and interrupt him? I mean, a skirt and a half sleeve aren't particularly good for basketball."

"At least I'm being modest," Isa replied scathingly, "Tank top and shorts aren't."

"Maybe not, but I'm not here for impressing people," Cynthia replied with a shrug of her lightly tanned shoulders, "I don't need to impress anyone, for example, Leon. I don't need to impress him with my clothing, I can already do that with my skills in basketball, which he is focused on. Course," She let a small smile slip, "I'm also the star player and co-captain, so no impressing for me did that many years ago." Isa's face went slightly red with anger. Cynthia had always been better at sports than her and it annoyed her to no end, that and since Cynthia's mother had disowned her she literally lived with Leon and his siblings, meaning she was around him twenty-four seven while Isa herself only got to see him in a few classes and when he was over at her house with Fin, but usually Cynthia was there with Leon who took his best friend everywhere, not letting her sit in her room and do something or other.

Cynthia went into the gym and pulled a bright blue basketball from her bag before dribbling it a few times and shooting it into the basketball which swished as she made it in while Isa fumed outside.

"Warming up?" Leon asked, emerging from the boy's locker room, looking cross and disgusted, swiping his hand over her mouth a bunch of times.

"Yup seems that you did you warmups with Isa attached to you by the face." She replied simply before running a few laps around the gym, sprinting each one to her blood pumping.

"No, and I have no idea what's up with her." He replies, joining her and sprinting at her pace.

"She has a crush on you like I've told you seven thousand times." She told him with a roll of her eyes.

"Blegh." He replied and they finished the laps in silence before silently shooting a few baskets. Leon spoke up after a few more minutes, "Ok, so this is the idea I had…"

After roughly an hour later both were slightly fatigued and out of breath, poring over Leon's notebook with the strategies that worked.

"Those'll be in the next game," Leon says, talking about a counter strategy for the Whirlpools and other counter strategies, his breathing a bit labored

"You might want to modify a few things but yeah, it's a good counter for their playing style," Cynthia responded, her breathing also a bit heavy.

"You'll be the star of a few of these, seeing how only you and I can do a few moves that are essential to the strategy itself. I'm sure you'll do it perfectly." Leon says still looking at his notebook.

Cynthia grinned at Isa to where she was warming up after Leon had solidified the strategies he had called the entire team in for a practice, but only Isa was here at the moment. The rest of the team had reported they'd all come together and be there in ten minutes, "Thanks, Leon." Cynthia smiled at him. Leon locked eyes with her and smiled back, before leaning forward and gently pecking her on the lips. Cynthia made a face and Leon leaned back and laughed as she wiped her mouth. He leaned forward and whispered,

"I promise I cleaned my face after she kissed me." He then repeated his previous action and she didn't wipe her mouth, instead of laughing and taking a step back as the team filtered into the gym. Isa looked angry and upset, she sulked throughout the entire game and got a reprimanding from Leon for it.


	4. Cinderblaze) Fighting and The Snow

_Fighting and The Freezing cold_

 _Cinderblaze_

Smack! Cynthia staggered back, pressing her hand to her now injured jaw. Isa and Hannah grinned smugly, they were ganging up on Cynthia outside in the snow, where they knew her right leg wouldn't be as good as usual. Cynthia turned her head to the side and spat out a glob of blood, blood trickling down to her chin. She scowled, "What the heck was that for?"

"That was for putting me in a trashcan!" Hannah replied with a sneer.

"I've been wanting to do it for years." Isa shrugged in response. Cynthia growled, blue eyes furious and annoyed.

"Don't make me retaliate." She growls furiously. "This is a battle you won't win."

They didn't listen. Moments later Hannah was out cold in the snow while Cynthia and Isa were exchanging blows, Cynthia being pinned to the ground, obviously reluctant to throw her off and hurt her.

"You're weak Cynthia," Isa hissed fearlessly as she punched her again, "A Wimp."

Cynthia finally snapped with an enraged yell she violently threw Isa off into the snow before tackling her to the ground and snapping her arm back to beat the crap out of her, her teeth bared with blood glinting on it from the multiple punches and splits in her lips. Isa yelped in fear and squeezed her eyes shut waiting for the blow, that was before strong arms wrapped around Cynthia's waist and hauled her backward while Fin helped up his sister. Cynthia thrashed in her captor's grip, struggling to get free, blue eyes locked on Isa, glinting with terrifying rage and anger. "I'm not a wimp!" She yelled at her, struggling, "I'm not weak! I'm strong!" Her voice was filled to brim with rage and fury, "I'm not a wimp!" She roared her right leg like a dead weight, the metal, and artificial stuff too cold to work. "I'm no wimp!"

Leon came running over, kicking up snow as he went, just as Cynthia broke free and attempted to run after Isa and Fin but fell face first into the snow, Leon caught her under the arms, "Cindy calm down," He looked up at Ben who'd been holding her back, "What happened?"

"I'm not sure, but I think Isa and Hanah were ganging up on her."

Cynthia struggled against Leon pushing him away and wobbly getting to her feet, blue eyes flashing as she half stumbled half staggered towards Isa, "I'm not letting you have him!"

At once Leon knew what had happened, the blood on the snow, Hannah out cold in the snow, Cynthia looking like she was out for blood, Isa cowering beside her brother. "Crap! Crap, crap! Cyndy come here!" He raced after her and reached her as she pulled her arm back to punch Fin who was protecting his sister. But then Cynthia's arm dropped and she fell into the snow, laying motionless in the thick wet snow. Leon rushed over and checked her pulse before pulling up the leg of her jeans and touching her right leg before yelping and putting his fingers in his mouth to warm them up, her leg was freezing, feeling like dry ice. He heard Fin comforting his sister, Isa shaking slightly. Leon carefully picked Cynthia up bridle style, her arm hanging down head tilted back. He looked at her eyes to find them glazed over and partially open, "It's ok Cyn, it's ok, I'm not going to let you die." He stood up, "Someone go take Hannah and Isa, I'm taking Cynthia to the nurse's office."

A smaller boy asked quietly, "What's wrong with her?"

"Her blood is freezing." Leon replied before running towards the nurse's office, "Aunt Leah! Jay! It's like you told me! Her leg is like dry ice!"

Leah and Jay rushed over from where they were helping a few kids. "Put her down in a hospital bed, Jay, go get as many heating pads as you can find." Jay rushed off and Leon carefully put Cynthia down on her back. Leah then pulled up the leg of Cynthia's jeans, the skin a pale color, frost covering her leg. Cynthia's face was quickly going pale. Isa and Fin came in a minute later when Jay was laying heating pads on Cynthia's leg, the girl was shivering violently, mostly unconscious but shivering like a leaf.

"She's not warming up fast enough," Leah whispered, looking at the girl. Leon pulled off his jacket, hoodie, gloves, and even his shirt, before laying next to Cynthia and drawing her body against his, his arms around her body, she was still shivering and Leon nearly jerked back at the temperature but didn't move away watching her carefully. "Jay, find more heating pads." Jay rushed off again. Isa was staring at Leon's back, blue eyes fixed on him and not the freezing girl next to him.

"She's still not warming up fast enough. Help me Leon." She and Leon made Cynthia sit up, lucky for them Cynthia almost always wore a tank top under her shirt and they pulled the wet shirt and jacket over the girl's head, who's blue eyes were open but mostly unseeing, her reactions extremely slow. Leah quickly mostly towel dried Cynthia's hair and they had Cynthia lay back with Leon, the loss of layers allowing her to be dry and closer to Leon's body heat.

After ten minutes Cynthia's shivering eased slightly but the heating pads were getting cold. Leah sighed and pulled out a bunch of blankets, putting them on the edge she and Leon made Cynthia turn over and carefully sandwiched her right leg in between Leon's legs who flinched and the freezing temperature. Leah then covered them with blankets, enough to make Leon start sweating while Cynthia didn't move, her head pressed against his neck, her forehead shining with fevered sweat.

Leon had dozed off hours ago and was startled awake by small movement, he opened his eyes to see Cynthia fully opening hers and slowly wiggling her fingers, blue eyes dazed and confused. "Back from the dead eh Cindy?"

"W-what?" She spoke slowly in a raspy tone like her vocal cords weren't exactly working.

"Well I think you're vocal chords aren't completely dethawed yet. Go back to sleep Cyn, I'm not going anywhere." Leon told his friend who obeyed and slipped asleep once again. He didn't want to even think about his friend not surviving the freezing of her blood, she was his best friend, always has been and always will be his favorite person.


	5. Dance? (Cinderblaze WHS)

_Hannah Henderson - Heathertail_

 _Finli - Fallen leaves_

 _Go to the Dance With me Please?!_

 _(Cinder x Lion)_

Holly found Leon in his cabin with his formal shoes in disassembled pieces all around him as he gently tapped a firm piece of wood into the underside of the top of his shoes, his black-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. "Leon?" Holly asked avoiding a snort of amusement, "What're you doing taking apart your shoes?"

"Making preparations for the girl I want to ask." He replied sanding down more of the wood to make it really thin and smooth and blowing off the dust.

"May I ask who that girl is and why you'd need supports in your shoes?"

"I'm asking Cynthia again, hopefully, this time her sisters aren't dragging her into going with them and Brendon."

"The supports?"  
"She broke her leg. This way she can step on my feet and let me take control so she won't jar her injury."

"That's-that's pretty deep Leon, but aren't you taking Isa? That's what you told everyone."

"I explained to Fox and Isa that I'd love to go with her but my heart wouldn't be in it. It may have hurt her feelings but I don't want to fake having fun when I'm not." Leon replied looking up at his sister, amber eyes deadly serious.

"How are you going to tell everyone?"

"By asking Cynthia at Dinner tonight in front of everyone." Leon smiled, "I really want to go with her."

"I see."

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Leon cleared his throat and stood up on the table he was sitting at with the other thunder boys, golden hair shining in the light, amber eyes warm and slightly nervous. "Cindy! Will you go to the final dance with me?" He tossed the startled girl a medium sized jewelry box, the box landing in her hands as she instinctively raised her hands to catch it.

Cynthia smiled widely, an adorable pink blush spreading across her cheeks, blue eyes twinkling, "Of course Leon! I'd love to!"

Hannah was staring open mouthed at the whole scene, stunned he asked Cynthia and that he lied earlier about who he was asking. Leon grinned from his position on top of the table before jumping down and sitting back in his seat, the other guys clapping him on the back and joking around. Leon winked at Cynthia before joining in and laughing at Mike's joke. The other thunder girls were gushing over the cute and brave asking along with the beautiful jewelry in the small box, a sapphire blue and silver colored volleyball shaped hair clip along with a silver locket containing a picture of the two of them at the start of camp messing around at the lake. Some of the guys were starting to rethink how they were going to ask their dates to the dance after Leon's unusual and effective proposal.

"It's beautiful Cindy!" Haliah-one of Cynthia's sisters- gushed, picking up the locket and examining it like it was the best thing in the world. Cynthia's cheeks couldn't get any redder, the blush was traveling up her neck, across the bridge of her nose and up to her ears, but she didn't seem too embarrassed, engrossed in the writing inside the hair clip, her grin turning into a fond gentle smile.

"It's high-quality work!" Paige -Haliah's twin and Cynthia's other sister- exclaimed in amazement looking at the tiny diamonds in the silver locket.

"Course it is." Holly replied smugly, "It's Cindy you guys, he always gets the best for her-"

"He made it himself." Cynthia interrupted looking at a small piece of paper folded into the box, "See look here,"

Holly took it and read it aloud as Cynthia's gaze strayed to lock on Leon, her expression soft, blue eyes twinkling with an emotion that couldn't be deciphered. "I hope the locket's ok, I worked with my dad to mold and design myself, the silver is sterling silver just in case you're allergic to metal and the diamonds are real, carved using my dad's diamond cutter to fit the tiny grooves. I hope you don't mind the picture, I found out Mike had taken a picture of you pushing me into the lake and I put it in the locket. I hope you wear it (If not my pride will take a blow :'( and my ego will be destroyed ), unlike the most jewelry I know you have. ~Leon." Holly looked over at her brother who was trying to balance a spoon on his nose with his tongue sticking out of his mouth going cross-eyed. "My brother, the most immature guy wrote this?" The girls went back to gushing over the jewelry while Cynthia lets her hair down before putting it back up in a loose bun and clipping the hair clip into place, the color making her blue eyes more blue and the dark grey ends of her hair more pronounced.

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"So you're going with Cindy to the dance tonight," Isa commented, her tone dull and a bit rejected.

"Yes, but I can still dance with you, Cindy told me you can go with me and she'll meet us there."

"Wait what? What do you mean?" Isa said looking at him shocked and confused.

"I'm taking you to the dance and dancing with you for a bit before Cindy, Cindy's going to meet me there so I can be proper gentlemen to you." Leon smiled lopsidedly, "I said I'd take you to the dance didn't I?"

"Well yeah-"

"Then I'm going to be true to my word, I'll take you to the dance, dance with you for a few songs like I promised before introducing you to your real date, sound good?"

"Ok but I don't understand-"

"Cindy approved I swear she did, I told her what I was going to do and she agreed, she's going to be coming with your date to make sure he comes and knows what to do." Leon said, his voice serious, "Fox told me to treat you like a princess so I will." He grinned, "Cindy is my queen but you and Holly are my princesses and I will treat you three like royalty."

Isa finally smiled, "Thank you, Leon, I appreciate this."

Leon grinned amusedly and joked, "Don't want the Fox sent on me eh?"

"Definitely not."

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"Cindy thank you so much!" Isa smiled hugging the gray and black haired girl as soon as she entered the cabin. Cynthia was nearly knocked off her already unsteady feet and Paige and Haliah had to keep her from falling backward.

"No problem Isa, it's seriously not an issue." Cynthia got her balance back and hugged the girl back while the other girls went back to preparing.

"What isn't an issue?" Haliah asked, popping her head up from a pile of dresses she was looking at.

"Leon's taking me to the dance!" Isa smiled widely, icy blue eyes glittering happily.

"What?!" The other girls nearly yelled dropping what they were doing to stare at the two blue eyed girls.

"Calm down," Cynthia snorted, "You're not understanding-"

"Cynthia Cindy Lawson why are you not going to the dance with Leon?!" Paige Holly and Haliah all asked, narrowing their eyes at the girl. Cynthia winced at the sound of her dreaded first name but quickened to explain.

"Leon is taking her to the dance as in he is coming over, picking her up, and taking her to the pavilion. Leon made a promise to treat Isa like a princess so he's going to take her to the dance and dance with her until I arrive with Isa's date -no I'm not telling you who he is- then we switch so Leon's promise to Isa is fulfilled and she isn't alone during it while I still get to go to the dance with Leon. Or in Leon's words his promise to treat Isa like a princess is temporarily finished while he treats me like his," she made air quotes, "Queen." She rolls her eyes, "I'm still going with him to the dance, just not roughly the first fifteen minutes." Cynthia shivers, "And please don't call me Cynthia, I have no idea why my mother chose to give me a posh name but I don't like it. Cindy's much better." She went over to her small closet and started rummaging around. Isa did the same in her own closet.

"Yeah I have no idea what mom was thinking, I mean Haliah Paige and Cynthia? All really rich sounding names. Honey Poppy and Cindy is way better." Paige commented, looking at a green dress that matched her eyes.

"I know right? It's kinda funny how all three of us go by our middle names." Haliah laughed, holding a golden colored dress up to her body and looking in the mirror.

"Hey, at least you aren't named Isabella," Isa commented pausing her rummaging.

"I think Cynthia is worst, I mean come on!" Cynthia turned to look at all of them, "My name is a Pokemon champion! And I stink at Pokemon!" She went back to looking for the outfit she wanted to girls all started giggling at her remark eventually all rolling on the ground at Cynthia's imitation of freezing during a battle or failing to throw a Pokeball. "Go Pokeball!" She drops into a pout, "I missed!" She then looked like she was panicking, hopping around in circles "I don't know what to do!" Before smacking into her closet door. Cynthia then straightened speaking in a cool collected tone, expression like stone, jutting out one hip, "Hello, my name is Cynthia and I'm a horrible Pokemon trainer." Isa grinned,  
"Hey I'm from Phineas and Ferb," She mock sighed lovesick like, "Oh Phineas." She pretended to cry, "We were in Paris and he didn't notice me!" she pretends to strum a guitar and sang in a deep voice Phineas' part, "Isabella kissed but I got my mind erased…" She stopped the guitar and froze speaking in her "Isabella voice" "Wait what?" Within a few more minutes all the girls were laughing so hard Cynthia was on the floor howling with laughter and Holly was choking on her laughter trying to get the girls back on topic; Haliah and Paige were leaning on each other bent other giggling while Isa was trying to stifle her laughter. Then the door opened and concerned looking Leon came in,

"Are you guys ok? It sounds like you're dying of laughter in here." He said with a grin that was threatening to laugh.

Cynthia choked before gasping out, "We're g-good!"

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Miraculously all the girls were ready for the dance on time despite the hour of dying of laughter.

Leon arrived exactly on time, dressed in a black suit with a white tie that matched Isa's dress. Isa was dressed in a floor-length white icy blue dress that hugged her upper curves and floated down past the waist, thin barely noticeable ruffles started at her waist and went down to the end of the dress; a light blue belt was around her waist along with silver earrings, a silver necklace and her hair up in a high bun. Leon complemented her appearance and offered his arm to her before they walked up to the pavilion, going to the dance floor and dancing to the song's beat. Within ten minutes a black and gray-haired girl slipped over to them interrupting their dance and dropping Leon's jaw. Tugging them both to the snack table Cynthia pulled a dark blue tie that matched her ensemble and loosened Leon's tie, slipped it over his head and handed it to Isa's date and tied the dark blue tie around Leon's neck, smacking his hand as he instinctively reached to adjust it. Isa's date had light brown hair, amber eyes and was dressed smartly in a light gray suit and white tie that he tightened to fit comfortably around his neck. It was Mousewhisker, Isa's denied crush. Cynthia grinned widely, "Have fun you two, come on Leon." She tugged him towards the dance floor as the song ended.

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Leon whispered, his lips inches from Cynthia's ear, "You're gorgeous."

"Thanks, you're just as handsome." Cynthia smiled and whispered in reply. Cynthia's outfit consisted of a spaghetti strapped dark blue dress made from a silky material that went down to her ankles, with designs of thin vines and small leaves going up to her knees paired with the locket Leon gave her and silver diamond studded earrings, her hair up in a bun with a braid headband.

She took a deep breath noting the slow music and was content to get closer to Leon who whispered, "Step on my feet." the comment completely broke the moment.

"What? Why?" Cynthia responded looking up at him, her leg throbbing from the absence of her crutches and moving around without them.

"I reinforced my shoes Cyn, step on my feet and let me take the lead," Leon whispered in her ear, speaking in confident and calm tones. Cynthia does as he asks and tentatively steps up onto his shoes, Leon felt her weight but didn't feel any pain from her stepping on his feet. Winding his arms around her waist supporting her body, he started to gently sway both of them from side to side. She put her arms around his neck, listening to him hum the lyrics in her ear.

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Holly was with her date Finli at a corner of the gym, watching her brother and Cynthia slow dance as a normal couple would, swaying gently back and forth except Cynthia was standing directly on top of his feet. Leon showed no pain so Holly guessed his supports worked. As she watched Leon hum in Cynthia's ear, the girl's blue eyes contently drooped partially closed, her chin resting on Leon's wide shoulder

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(Hannah's pov)

I gritted my teeth watching Leon and his idiot of a date Cynthia Lawson. It wasn't fair, I should be there being held in his strong arms listening to him hum the lyrics to the slow song into my ear, swaying gently back and forth, and be that close to him, not that rich idiot of a girl. Besides it's not like she needs any more jewelry being the rich kid she was. I waited for the song to be over before approaching him as they shifted their position to be at a foot apart waiting for the next song. "Hey, Leon." I smiled, taking in his unusually sharp appearance.

"Hello, Hannah." He grunted in return not looking at me but keeping his gaze locked with Cynthia's.

"Hey Cynthia, could I have a dance with Leon?" I asked and I was pleased to see she tore her gaze away from Leon to look at me, blue eyes lighter than mine a bit hesitant.

"Sure, but please don't call me Cynthia." She responded letting go of Leon's hands and stepping back, "Have fun," she smiled before leaving to the snack table. ' _Ha, I knew she's too kind-hearted to say no.'_ I smiled at Leon and was even more pleased to hear that the song was a slow song. Smiling at him I stepped closer and wrapped my arms around his neck, grinning happily.

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(Leon's view)

Slow dancing with Hannah wasn't really comfortable, she kept trying to flatten her body against mine and I didn't like it. I didn't like how she flaunted herself and kept me close by wrapping her arms around my neck. I reluctantly put my hands on either side of her waist while letting her lead. Dancing with Cynthia was about a million times better, her thin arms around my back, her head resting on my shoulder as she listened to my humming, her body language relaxed and calm. Hannah wasn't like that, she was thin but was shorter than Cynthia making it hard to stand up straight, and I kept my head up looking towards the ceiling to avoid seeing anything I didn't want to see, all in all, I was miserable. Boy was I relieved when the song was over and Cynthia came back. I immediately tugged her back onto the dance floor with me ignoring Hannah's huff as I dodged the kiss she was trying to give me. The next song was faster paced but I had a lot of fun with Cynthia, laughing as we tried to dance without jarring her injury. We spent thirty minutes laughing and struggling to keep both our pride and our grace together. I led Cynthia back off the floor to get us some drinks, having her sit next to Holly and Fallen and rest her leg. I could feel the wide grin on my face. This was great.

 _ **YAY! Cinderblaze! :) Definitely my favorite shipping :)**_


	6. I can't do this(Cinderblaze WHS)

_I'm sorry… I can't do this._

Cynthia, Leon - 15 ½

 _(Takes place before Cynthia's injury)_

"I won't die, Cindy, I can't be injured badly." Leon soothed, brushing his friend's hair out of her face, revealing her watery wide blue eyes, "You don't have to worry about me, you can't and won't hurt me." He sat next to her on the courtyard grass.

"How do you know that?" Cynthia breathed, looking down at the blood streaked across her knuckles from getting into a fist fight earlier, "I can't control it… you already know that." Her hands quivered slightly and she clenched them into fists to stop the shaking.

"I know but I won't get hurt, I have too much training for that to happen." He leaned a little closer, "You can't hurt me." ' _Maybe she'll understand."_

Cynthia blue eyes begged him to help her understand but she didn't look up from her fists for a second, "I don't believe that I've hurt everyone, I even killed someone Leon, that isn't controlled, that's out of control. And I can't stop it."

"I promise you can't hurt me like that, I'm still stronger than you, I won't let you berate yourself again. What happened today wasn't called for no, but," He smiled slightly, "Brendon had it coming for him, you only broke his nose and bruised his ego. You're the protector of your sisters, hearing Brendon broke both their hearts made you angry and you reacted, no shame in that." He brushed his thumb over the thin callouses on her knuckles, "I did the same thing actually, I punched Finli in the face when he made Holly upset, it's natural to want to protect your family."

"Maybe, but I broke mine, I killed Miles, Leon, I can't take that back and how am I supposed to know that I won't hurt you either." She responded watching his hands clasp over hers on his knee.

"Because I know you won't." He replied watching her with kind eyes, "You won't let your friend be injured."

"Maybe." She murmured softly.

Leon's pulse quickened, hoping she understands. "Then maybe we could be in a relationship?" He asked a bit tentatively.

"Probably." Cynthia was looking over his shoulder, blue eyes spaced out and unfocused.

"Please," He leaned farther forward, "Yes or no."

"Y-yes." Cynthia stuttered looking at him clearly.

Leon smiled before Cynthia started backward and scrambled to her feet, he quickly got to his feet also, grasping her wrist before she could flee, his expression worried and fearful,"Cindy what's wrong?"

"I can't," She breathed, blue eyes sparkling with restrained tears, "I can't hurt you, I can't risk it, Leon, I just can't!" She cried, pulling her wrist from his grip and fled towards the woods, leaving Leon watching her disappear from sight, his heart heavy but understanding.

"I hoped you would understand Cyn." He murmured as her black hair disappeared from sight, "I hoped you'd be over your guilt. I'm sorry." He sighed, blinked rapidly a few times before putting his hands in his pockets, put on his backpack and slowly started walking towards the front of the school where his brother, Jay, would be waiting.

:'( :'( :'(

Cynthia's vision was blinded by tears and she slipped on leaves and wet grass as she ran. Finally tripping on a rock and landing on her hands and knees she cried, ignoring the stinging pain of her scratched up knees and palms she let the tears fall, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Leon." She sobbed, her tears wettening the forest floor, "I can't forgive myself and I'd rather die than hurt you." Her black hair acted as a curtain hiding her face from the world and she felt like she was drowning in guilt. "But I already did." She breathed staring at the small golden colored leaves between her clenched hands, blood still streaking her knuckles.


	7. Friends with Benefits?(Cinderblaze WHS)

_Maybe… Friends with benefits?_

 _Cynthia, Leon- 16_

 _Holly, Jay- 17_

" _Hey, we're here." Cynthia opened her eyes to find Leon's amber eyes a foot or so away from her, "We're at home Cyn," He looked up at his mother in the driver seat and smiled, "Thanks for picking us up."_

" _I'm glad you had fun at the game." Skylar smiled at her son and the groggy star player. Cynthia blinked the sleep from her blue eyes before getting out of the car with Leon, after walking into the house Leon wrapped one arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her temple before letting her go as Holly came over, grinned, and tugged her back upstairs, 'Leon and I are a couple?' She wondered as Holly introduced her to Finli and explained how she needed her help to distract Leon._

" _I need you help to distract Leon or he's going to go ballistic."_

" _Alright, but why exactly to_ _I_ _have to distract him?"_

" _Duh! Because you're better at it than any of us! I think he's downstairs with the guys."_

 _Cynthia sighed, "I'll go distract him, but I'm not distracting him forever Holly."_

" _Why not?" Holly smirked cheekily, "You don't want to kiss you, boyfriend?"_

 _Cynthia turned bright red and smacked her with a pillow trying to get out an understandable sentence, she eventually gave up and stomped down the stairs walking over to Leon and sitting in his lap in a huff._

" _What's wrong?" Leon asked breaking off his conversation to look at her._

" _Holly's teasing me again." She grunted turning to look at him with angry blue eyes._

" _Auh, I sure she's just messing with you." Leon smiled, cupping her cheek and leaning closer to her, "Why not give her something to tease you about?"_

" _Okay," Cynthia agreed moving to tilt her head up slightly..._

"Cindy wake up!"

Cynthia jolted awake and fell off her bunk landing flat on her face on the floor. With a groan, she hauled herself up to be sitting on her knees. "Was that seriously necessary Holly?" She grumbled looking up at the other black haired girl who was already ready to school in her white button up blouse, light gray half sleeve, light blue jeggings and blue converse.

"Yes, it was," She smirked before racing out of the room while Cynthia got her bearings and tried to shake away the last traces of her dream.

' _Where the heck did that dream come from? I never dream about things like that.'_ Gazing out the window Cynthia's attention locked on a small robin singing in the tree, ' _It was so real…'_ Disappointment hung heavy in her throat, disappointed that Holly interrupted the dream before she could see what would happen. Holly seemed to have the talent of interrupting her, interrupting her and Leon in the hospital, startling her awake from her dreams, jolting her from any day dreams. After the whole rejection thing that she hadn't told Holly about she tended to avoid situations with Leon when they were completely alone, not wanting the whole thing to happen again. Getting to her feet she got ready for school, her mind still on the dream.

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"Cindy!" Leon caught of her wrist before she could leave for her class, "I need to talk to you after school." His voice was urgent and hopeful. He brought out the puppy eyes and Cynthia breathed a sigh,

"Alright, after basketball practice, where do you want me to meet you?"

"I'll come get you." Leon smiled, "I promise, it'll be worth it." They stared at each other for a moment before Cynthia spoke as the late bell rang.

"See you then Leon, I really need to go to class!" She slipped free of his grasp and ran towards her class, Leon running the opposite direction.

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"I have an idea, we can't be a couple but can we be more than friends?" Leon asked looking at her pleadingly.  
Cynthia squashed her hopes and replied, "As in?..."

"Friends with benefits," Leon suggested, pleased to see her eyes light up.

"What are the boundaries?" Cynthia was intrigued, this idea might be a way to get around her fear of hurting him as a couple.

"Everything a couple would do but we'll take it slowly, one extra thing at a time," Leon reassured seeing the fear flicker in her eyes at the mention of the word couple. "We'll take it slow, as slow as you want it to go, I want you to choose the pace that'll make you comfortable."

"Okay… I like it," She smiled at Leon's wide grin before looking down at the ground and nudging some grass with the toe of her shoe, "Want to… start now?" She looked up at him through her black hair shyly.

Leon smiled widely, "If that's what you want."

"What's first?" She asked shaking her head and looking straight at him, confident.

"Personal space maybe? How close I can get to you?"

Cynthia nodded slightly and Leon took a few steps back

"Tell me when you get uncomfortable," He said softly, taking a small step closer to her, amber eyes hopeful and patient.

"Okay." She breathed, watching him as he got closer.

"Now?" He was a few feet away from her.

"No," She breathed, and he took a few steps closer so he was a foot away,

"Now?"

"No."

"Now?" She could feel his breath on her face.

"No." He stepped close, his nose could brush against hers,

"How about now?"

"No." She barely managed to get out, heart pounding in her chest, her hands held behind her back to prevent her from accidentally hurting him.

"Now?" He was less than inches from her face,

"No."

"Are you sure?" He asked softly,

"Yes."

"What about now?" Cynthia felt him circle his arms around her waist.

"No."

"Now?" he was the directly in front of her, inches between them.

"No." This time Cynthia acted, cautiously partially leaning up on her toes she acted on impulse, placing her hands on his shoulders before cautiously kissing him on the lips. Leon responded gently, not wanting to startle or kick start her fear. A moment later Cynthia broke it but didn't move, staring at his face, looking for something to soothe her fear she hurt him. Leon's amber eyes glinted calmly and lovingly,

"How about now?" Leon whispered gently.

"No." Cynthia responded with a breathy whisper, "I'm not uncomfortable at all." She leaned closer, "Quite the opposite actually."

 _ **Yay Cinderblaze! :D Cynthia and Leon get together eventually :) just like her dream :) Her dream is actually what would've happened if she hadn't been so scared and rejected Leon :) It was would've happened that evening and the next day :)**_


	8. Reconcile, Finally together! :)

_**Snowcrystal of Thunderclan- Same universe :) Briarfeather cuteness! XD Poor Isa? Well, It's poor Cynthia in this one :( I always figured Cinderheart and Icecloud silently fought each other for Lionblaze's attention :) Briarfeather is adorable :) I'm glad you loved that chapter :)**_

 _Silent suffering._

 _Ivory- 16_

 _Cynthia, Isa, Leon- 17 ½_

 _Holly - 18_

 _Haliah, Paige- 18 ½_

Cynthia buried her head under her pillow, shoving it over her head as an attempt to block the voices of Isa and her sisters. Paige and Haliah had dragged their disowned sister over to have a sleepover with them, Isa, Ivory, and Holly. Right now Cynthia, Ivory, and Holly were cooped up on Cynthia's bunk, hoping to not get dragged into the popular girl's conversation. Ivory was leaning back against the wall, her socked feet propped up on the railing, black hood covering her face as she lightly snored, obviously asleep, tired from something or other * _ **cough cough**_ _ **Dark Forest a cough cough***_ while Holly was trying not to be too green in the face and attempting to cheer up her best friend. The reason for the need of cheering up? Simple. Isa was gloating to Haliah and Paige about how Leon had kissed her yesterday. Despite how many time Leon reassured Cynthia that he wasn't doing that and had no intention of doing that with Isa when he'd rather do it with her Cynthia couldn't get rid of the doubt and it was starting to wear the athlete down.

"Cindy, I'm sure he's not doing that," Holly tried to reassure, "I'm positive he wouldn't break a promise like that."

Cynthia uncovered her head to sigh and wince at a particular descriptive phrase from Isa, "Holly, I'll never know so he could and would do whatever he wants, just because I'm scared and didn't want to try anything for two years doesn't mean he doesn't, he's a guy for goodness sake, a guy with a normal thought process. It's normal." She shrugged slightly, forcing away the urge to go hide in a corner and melt into the ground, "Who he does it with isn't my issue."

"Sure it is!" Holly exclaim in a half whisper, "He's been kissing only you for almost two years! Then he suddenly starts it with Isa? That isn't right and you're part of it so it's your issue!"

"I figured it was going to happen, Holly," Cynthia whispers in return, blue eyes tormented but relatively calm with no anger. "He's not my boyfriend, we're just best friends, nothing wrong with that, I can handle being plain friends again."

"Cyndy come on!" Holly whisper yelled she did not want her brother to get together with Isa, that would be her and Cynthia's worst nightmare. "You have to do something, doesn't it mean anything to you?"

Cynthia recoiled like she'd been slapped, "Of course it means something to me! But it's never been solidified and we've never used titles!" She shoved away any memories sneaking into her mind as she continued, "Yes, I'll probably miss the whole thing but if that's what he and Isa want I can deal with it."

"What about the whole dance fiasco?"

"What about it?" She shrugged, "I showed her kindness and got it thrown back in my face."

"Cindy, you can't just forget about it all!" Holly said desperately, "He handcrafted a silver locket! Just for you! Not for Isa, or me, or Hannah, for you!"

"Holly, I love the necklace don't get me wrong, and I can't forget about it," She blinked rapidly a few times before clenching her hands into fists hearing the other three giggling at something Isa said, "But I can let it go and stop forcing Leon back because I'm afraid of titles."

Holly scrutinized her friend's face and sighed, her shoulder slumping, green eyes dulling to understanding, "You aren't even going to try and fight back?"

"Not anymore," Cynthia replied with a quietly defeated tone, blue eyes gazing at her friend.

"Don't do anything as drastic as I did, though," Both smiled weakly at the remark, remembering Holly's three-year long sewer trip.

"I'm not going anywhere, I can't with this." Cynthia gesture to her right leg, "When it gets cold I don't want to chance my blood freezing again, that was easily the worst experience in my life." Then her entire body stiffened at Isa's next words.

"It was amazing! And he asked me to be his girlfriend!" Isa squealed as did Haliah and Paige, excited for gossip but also slightly worried about their sister. Cynthia's blue eyes quickly glistened with tears and the athlete vaulted off her bunk, landing in a crouch before getting to her feet and going to the door.

"Cindy?" Haliah asked in worry, "Are you ok?"

Cynthia looked over her shoulder at her sister, tear tracks glimmering on her cheeks. "Yeah," She choked out, looking back at the door and twisting the doorknob, "I'll be ok." She then threw the door open and vanished, the door swinging into the wall with a gentle bang.

The moment Cynthia ran off Ivory and Holly were up, Holly calling her brother while Ivory vaulted off the bunk in the same fashion and ran after the older girl, teal and blonde ponytail waving in the breeze she created.

"Thanks, Jay, I'll turn on the GPS on my phone so you can find us." Holly then sprinted after Ivory.

Haliah and Paige locked eyes and Haliah nodded, Paige got to her feet and chased after Holly, intent on finding her younger sister.

:( :( :( :( :( :( :( :( :(

Cynthia ran, knowing exactly where she was going. To a small clearing in the middle of thunder woods, a clearing she knew well. Stopping at the foot of a large tree she paused for a moment before jumping to grab onto a branch before climbing further up away from the cold snow. Settling on a branch she carefully tucked her right leg beneath her to keep it as warm as possible before leaning forward on her arms and sobbing.

:( :( :( :(

"WHAT!" Leon yelled at Jay who had just told him what Holly told them, Bree in her chair beside him. "Isa said what?!"

"She apparently said you asked her to be your girlfriend."

"I don't even like her that way!" Leon floundered, partially upset and partially worried.

"So you haven't kissed her?" Bree asked boldly, amber eyes narrowed, "I've heard about it too Leon, it's been going around for months."

"I-I've only kissed her once, everything else she did," Leon replied slightly guilty.

"Leon!" Bree snapped, furious and shocked, "You promised Cindy you wouldn't!"

"I was dared to!" He cried, throwing his hands into the air, "Fin dared me to kiss his sister at school the next day!"

"Why didn't you stop it?!" She glared at him, "You know how much Cindy's been struggling to get past her fear! You kissing Isa or Isa kissing you all over the school isn't helping!"

"I know," Leon said brokenly, "I know."

Bree softened her tone. "Then explain everything to Cindy, she didn't know what was going on beside seeing you two kissing and listening to Isa bragging about it." Jay was insanely grateful that his girlfriend knew what to do, he had no clue what to do when emotional stuff like this happened.

"Okay," Leon agreed, "I'll explain."

"Don't hide anything Leon," Bree warned, "Unexplained issues fester and can cause a permanent break in your relationship." She knew that from experience.

:( :( :( :( :( :(

"Cindy? Cindy come down! Cindy!" Holly called, looking around for her friend.

"Cynthia!" Ivory hollered, "Cynthia!"

"Cindy!" Paige was nearly in tears, she didn't want to lose yet another sibling.

"Holly!" Holly whirled around to see Bree, Jay, and Leon rushing over, all three worried.

"Guys! Oh, thank goodness! Cindy's in this clearing somewhere but we can't find her and she isn't coming down!"

Leon's gaze snapped up to a large maple tree, the only maple within seven-hundred feet. The same tree he and Cynthia used to climb as kids and younger teenagers, playing around and getting closer. "I know where she is." He said quietly, spotting a small bit of blue mostly hidden by branches.

Everyone else looked up at that tree. Bree's face turned white, there was no way in the world she was going to be able to climb that monstrosity of a tree. She had issues climbing a medium sized oak tree, this thing? Not possible.

"I'll go get her." Holly volunteered.

"No, I will, I need to explain," Leon replied walking over to the tree, his shoes crunching deep into the snow. Jumping up he started climbing, looking for a trace of Cynthia… then his vision was blocked by a bunch of snow.

"Go away!" He heard Cynthia yell, she was probably the source of the snowball. Leon shook his head and kept going.

"It's me, Cynthia, let me explain." He reached the thick branch she was sitting on and sat down on the one next to her. For a few moments he watched her, guilt-ridden as she didn't look at him, facing forward, not afraid of him seeing her tears, it was nothing he hadn't seen before, her blue eyes were fogged and glistening with the tears she was now holding back, black hair fluttering to one side in the cold wind. He started telling his tale after taking a deep breath to give him courage. "Months ago I was playing truth or dare with Fin and Mike, that was while you were confined to your room because of the cold you had and the weather in the negative degrees." He explained, also explaining why she didn't know about any of it.

" _Cyn? Are you ok?" Leon asked looking worriedly at his friend who looked like she'd been to the underworld and back, looking dead tired, sicker than a dog, and her right leg wrapped in a bulky heating blanket while under a few thick blankets_

" _Blegh." She responded with a groan, throwing her arm up over her eyes trying to tone down her headache._

" _I'll see you later then, I'm going to Fin's." He didn't get a reply as he left._

"Fin dared me to kiss Isa at school the next day, so I did. I kissed Isa for the dare right before practice when I had forgotten that I asked you to help her work on my shooting skills. That's when you came in and dropped all of your practice stuff and ran, I couldn't find you to apologize and eventually I forgot about the whole thing. "

 _Leon thought, 'better get this over with.' He quickly kissed Isa and was surprised when Isa pushed him backward. He heard the doors open and the sound of a bag being dropped along with a basketball which bounced across the floor. He pushed Isa back to see Cynthia's black ponytail vanish._

"Until Isa started kissing me all the time, I didn't know what to do, because I kissed her she somehow thought she was my unofficial girlfriend. Keep in mind I didn't know about the whole unofficial girlfriend thing until this week and got it straight with her. So she did it all the time, especially when she somehow knew every time I asked you to help me with something or to go somewhere. Every single time. She interrupted and you always turned and went the other direction, looking lost and confused."

 _Cynthia blinked making sure she wasn't seeing things before saying, "Maybe another time Leon, you… seem to be busy." Her face fell concealing hurt behind her real confusion and feeling lost and out of place like the world had been flipped upside down. Leon made a muffled noise, not wanting to hurt Isa but wanting to go with Cynthia, who promptly spun on her heel and vanished around the corner._

"I tried to keep my plans secret but she still always found out, never letting me ask you to places or even the dance, instead I had to say I wasn't going to avoid having to ask her. I managed to find a loop-hole so I started taking Holly with you and I, with my sister and your other best friend I think Isa doubted the chances of anything happening and she was right-"

"That's because I figured you didn't want anything to happen," Cynthia interjected in a dull tone, "You seemed to be avoiding me so I let you have what I figured you wanted. To be normal everyday friends."

" _Hey Cyn, Holly, do you guys want to go to the pizza parlor?" Leon asked excitedly, "I heard there's a new pizza there and it sounds really good!" Cynthia's blue eyes lit up before they dulled back to the normal these days, assuming Isa would interrupt them. Holly hesitated, not particularly fond of the greasy thin crusted pie. But she caught the brief spark in Cynthia's eyes and reluctantly agreed, "Oh alright, but I'm only eating a few pieces." Leon grinned widely while Cynthia smiled slightly, blue eyes looking at Leon with a hidden longing and grudging acceptance._

"Oh. Well anyway, I was getting frustrated and on Monday I asked her what her deal was, told her that she wasn't my girlfriend and told her my friends are my choice, not hers." He shuffled a little closer to Cynthia, guilt clogging his throat and worry at seeing her starting to shiver through her jacket. "I didn't want any of this to happen. I'm sorry I broke my promise. I didn't mean to hurt you." He carefully wrapped his arms around her body, her head tucked against his shoulder. "I'm so sorry Cyn," He whispered, bringing one hand up to run his fingers through her loose black hair. "I'm sorry."

"I know," Cynthia replied quietly, still upset and unsure, not sure what he was going to do.

"I know you don't like titles and I pretty much destroyed any chance of this happening," Leon said, looking forward, "But will you please be my girlfriend now?"

It was silence where Leon's hopes fell before Cynthia cautiously spoke, "I can try."

"Just think of us as the friends with benefits, we were doing everything a couple does back then." Leon smiled looking down at her, her head was still lying on his shoulder, her chin against his shoulder, looking out in the direction her face was facing.

"No, I'll think of it like I want to," Cynthia replied quietly.

:) :) :) :) :) D :) :) :) :) :) :D :) :) :) :) :)

Leon smiled at Cynthia, looking down at the girl who was acting shy, looking down at her feet and avoiding people staring at them, her left hand clasped in Leon's right, her grip decently tight and nervous. He rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand to calm her and looked up to grin at his friends, swinging his and Cynthia's joined hands, causing her to jump and stare at him in partial confusion but mostly startlement. Fin's jaw dropped, another one of Leon's dares that he turned into a bet was how much longer it would take for him and Cynthia to finally become an official couple. Leon grinned down at Cynthia releasing her hand and tugging her to his side by the shoulders, pressing a kiss to her temple before letting her jog off to her locker to get stuff out for an art class where they were usually partners. He went to his locker and pulled out the needed supplies, grinning as his friends clapped him on the back while Cynthia's friends scared the heebie-jeebies out of her by asking her a thousand questions a second. He went and rescued her from the nosey girls and interlaced their fingers, leading her to art class as the bell rang. Sitting in his assigned seat next to Cynthia near his brother Jay and his paralyzed girlfriend Bree, Holly and her boyfriend Finli, and with a grumpy and shellshocked Hannah in front of them. She was staring at him and Cynthia, the latter finally getting over her bout of shyness to pull down one her eyes and stick her tongue out, humor but triumph glinting in her sapphire blue eyes. Hannah made an annoyed face and turned back around as Leon laughed and put Cynthia in a headlock and giving her a gentle noogie, ruffling her black hair.

 _ **Finally! They're together! :) :)**_


	9. A Reward Better than Anything(BriarxJay)

_Protecting Him And Receiving An Amazing Reward_

 _(Briarfeather)_

 _Bree, Jay- 16 ½_

Bree gasped for breath, her arms scratched up and bleeding, her mind was foggy from a hit in the head and she couldn't tell what was going on. Forcing her eyes open she was startled to find her face pressed to the dirt, her wrists tied together. Breathing in she started coughing violently, getting soil up into her lungs, she struggled, half of her body flailing like a fish while the rest didn't move an inch. She felt someone stepping onto her back and she coughed more, feeling like she was choking.

"Let her up Dawn, you're causing her to choke." A deep male voice growled. Bree was then yanked up into a standing position by the shoulders, but she promptly crashed back to the ground, her nose smashing painfully into the ground; meanwhile, she was too busy hacking up her lungs to notice the pain. "She can't stand Dawn." The voice spoke again. Finally, Bree was hauled into a kneeling position, she coughed and wheezed, dazed and barely able to see. Someone smacked her on the back and she faceplanted back into the ground despite how much she tried to stay upright. Again she was hauled back up, "For heaven's sake Dawn!" She felt someone rubbing her upper back, carefully patting small areas and Bree coughed up some of the soil, the rest still stuck there and making her breathing raspy and weak. She barely reacted to a hand being waved in her face, idly wondering what the tan colored blob was. "Great, you probably gave her a concussion."

"Who cares?" I didn't promise Jay his friend would be unharmed, just alive."

"Because you nitwit, she won't scream, cry, yell or make any loud noises, she can barely see anything if I'm correct." Bree suddenly let out a squeak as the back of her neck was pinched and her vision cleared, she moved forward and bit the hand waving in front of her face. A higher pitched howl and a moment later Bree was sprawled on her back, the force of the slap to her cheek knocking her backward. A few voices made sounds of disgust, Bree remembered with an inward snort on how creepy it was when she fell backward on her knees, she was so flexible down there that her back was making contact with the ground. "Stop hitting her." The male voice spoke again, hauling her upright onto her knees again. "We need her conscious, remember, she's a hostage."

' _Hostage?!'_ Bree yelled in her mind before calming down and listening intently.

"We need her conscious so she can do that pitiful 'Don't do it!' Most girls do."

Rage sparked in Bree's mind and she worked to pull her wrists apart, the strong muscles in her arms starting to slowly break the rope while listening to them.

"Eh, whatever, I just want him to agree to the terms, killing himself as revenge for my brother!"

Rage filled every corner and crevice in Bree's mind, snapping the ropes she shoved her head into the back of someone's knees, she saw stars but the person screamed and fell forward. Using a few techniques Cynthia had taught her Bree jabbed her fist against the girl's temple, knocking her out cold before managing to catch the other person's wrist. With a mighty heave, she managed to flip the other guy onto his back where he landed an uppercut to her jaw and her head snapped up as she slammed her fist into his gut and temple simultaneously. After a few more minutes and many other injuries, she was lying on her back on the ground, panting heavily, feeling beaten and bruised with the other people holding her hostage out cold nearby. Bree's eyes started sliding shut, her body beat up and the adrenaline from the anger of Jay possibly killing himself to save her life draining as the threat also vanished.

:O :O :O :O :O :O :O

Jay ran into the clearing, the moment he got the call from Dawn using Bree's phone saying she'd kill her if he didn't get over there quickly. The silence greeting him was completely unexpected and worrisome. "Bree?!" He called frantically, "Bree?!"

"Jay?" He heard a faint voice, he rushed over and froze as his foot brushed against a human body.

"What happened here?!" He carefully navigated his way past the people lying on the ground to crouch next to a familiar person who's breathing was raspy and more of a wheeze.

"I heard they wanted to kill you…" He heard Bree wheeze, he leaned further forward so he could hear her better, "temper… raged." She rasped tiredly, her breath on his ear, smelling of dirt and blood.

"Where's your chair?" He asked checking her pulse and running his fingers over her face to check for injuries. Her jaw was swelling along with her left eye and right cheek, blood was running down her nose and he felt the warm liquid on her upper lip.

"I don't know." Bree coughed and Jay put his hand over her eyes feeling the movement of her lashes closing.

"Let's get you out of here," He carefully put one arm under her upper back and the other under her knees, carefully lifting her up and making his way around the unconscious teens once again.

:) :) :) :) :) :)

Brittany almost had a heart attack when the front door opened to reveal Jay carrying her bloodied and dirt covered sister. Bree was unconscious, her clothing covered in dirt and her front stained with blood that had dribbled down her chin onto her shirt and neck, her right cheek was swelling enough that if her eyes weren't closed her right eye would be swelled shut, and a darker spot on her lighter green shirt near her side was also a darker red, her right temple was dark purple with blood trickling down into her hair, her gray sweatpants were dirtied and torn in areas, her wrists raw, her ankles still tied together. "What happened-"

"Do me a favor and call my aunt." Jay said curtly, shifting Bree slightly to pull out his phone and tossing it to her, "She should be on duty at the hospital and I think Bree's broken a few ribs.

Brittany nodded and did it numbly, in the middle of the night last night she had woken up to hear yells and startled shrieks from Bree's room, but when she ran downstairs and threw open the door nobody was there, the window was open and there was blood on Bree's pillow.

Jay walked over to the couch and carefully sat down on it, Bree's head propped up on the armrest, her left arm hanging down, her head rolled to the left, she didn't stir as Jay probed the dark area of her shirt. "Definitely broken ribs. Why did you do this Bree?" He whispered to himself, looking down at the unconscious girl, "You're even more broken than before."

:) :) :) :) :)

Jay waited for any sign of Leah coming back and letting him visit Bree, he was quietly pacing the entire room, arms folded across his chest, Bree's family waiting in the waiting chairs, Miley in tears and Gunner comforting his wife while Brittany and Ben were both fidgeting nervously. Jay heard a door close and familiar footsteps came closer, he hurried over to his Aunt, "Can I go see her?"

"Yes, she should be waking up in a few minutes, she's going to be confined to her house for a few weeks, a few of her ribs are broken and she's had multiple hits in the head." Jay's blood ran cold.

"No chance of a coma, though?"

"She already slipped into one during the surgery to fix her ribs but jerked out of it very quickly. So it's unlikely she'll do it again, she's breathing on her own."

"Good." He darted past her and into Bree's recovery room, settling into a chair and finding one of Bree's hands before clasping it in his own, staring blankly ahead, waiting.

"Jay?" Jay's eyes opened with a snap and he straightened up, he'd been dozing when he heard a raspy but cheerful voice.

"Yeah, Bree?"

"Am I back in the hospital?" She asked in a timid voice, he felt her amber gaze on his face and could hear her thoughts, ' _Ugh, my head feels like a thousand pound weight.'_

"Yes, but this time you're just healing, no bad news," Jay replied and heard her sigh in relief.

He then felt her palm on the side of his face, "You're probably glad you can't see me right now," she laughed softly, "I'm so messed up that I can barely see you."

"I'm sure you're just as beautiful as ever," Jay replied with a rare comment, glad to hear her laugh.

"Maybe in your eyes, but then again you can imagine all you want can't you?"

"I've seen you before," He inwardly smiled a smile that he knew she could see through his walls, aiming his gaze to where he sensed hers, "During the flood, I got to see for a few moments, enough to see what you look like."

"Like a drowned rat?" She laughed, "I looked like I'd been drowned a few times after the flood incident."

"Maybe, but I can still describe you," He replied in an almost gruff tone, "Average height, silky wavy dark brown hair, sparkling amber eyes, and an attitude that just oozes happiness."

Bree laughed, obviously pleased at the description, "Spot on as always," She smiled, the smile evident in her tone. The door knob turned and Jay quickly returned to be gruff and curt as Bree's family burst in.

:) :) :) :) :) :)

After they left Jay took a seat next to her again, right now she was mostly sitting up, completely awake, her usual cheery aura around her with an extra hint of something else. Jay was mulling over a decision in his head, respectfully staying out of his best friend's thoughts. Finally, he finished mulling it over and cautiously tapped into her thoughts, only to find them guarded and blocked, but her emotions were as clear as day, something more than affection reigning mostly over everything else. "Thanks for protecting me like that Bree, I appreciate it." He heard her jump but she quickly recovered,

"You welcome, I'd do it again in a heartbeat," she replied truthfully.

"I've come up with a reward… Would you like it?"

"Sure!"

This is what Jay liked about her the most, she didn't really care what the reward was about and she didn't really need one but since he offered she wasn't going to turn him down. "Then close your eyes." He figured she did as he asked and leaned closer, making sure she had by brushing the tips of his fingers against her eyelashes before leaning forward enough he could feel her breath on his face and took a moment to pinpoint, running his fingertips over her top lip. "Ready?" He asked her, his nervousness buried deep in his mind, she wasn't Hadara, she'd accept it with no issues.

"Yes." She murmured as if sensing what he was going to do. Jay closed his eyes as well, not that it made a difference but if someone passed they wouldn't be as creeped out than if he had his eyes open. Moving with small movements to make sure he had the correct position, he gave Bree her reward. A kiss when he wasn't drunk on sugar from thin mints, a kiss when he was fully aware what he was doing. It wasn't long, only a few seconds, but enough for Jay to be wondering why he hadn't noticed how good it felt the last time when she'd initiated one after the flood. He must've been too worried about Hadara to focus on his "friend" He leaned back into his chair while he heard Bree giggle a few times, the sounds pleasantly dazed, he could tell her eyes were on him and he let out a sheepish grin, her giggles multiplied until she calmed down a few moments later, leaning sideways on her elbows. "That's the best reward I could ever receive, thanks, Jay."

"No problem Bree." He leaned back, his arms behind his head, "Not a problem."

She laughs before scooting down slightly so she was able to lay back on her back and close her eyes, "See you later Jay."

Jay inwardly smiled and shifted into a more comfortable spot in his chair, "Have a good nap, Bree." And she was sleep.


	10. What to be Grateful For (Cinderblaze)

_**This is the Thanksgiving special :) it's AU and involves a few other things :) Such as a link between Leon and Cynthia, and the ability to purr, growl, hiss, roar, and chuff with both of them.**_

 _What're You Grateful For When You're in a Hopeless Situation_

Leon could hear Cynthia's raspy breathing and managed to open his eyes. After being captured by the other group and interrogated where they revealed nothing he remembered being dumped into this room. He blinked a few times to clear his vision and looked over at Cynthia, through their link he could feel a small amount of her pain that she couldn't completely hide away. She was conscious which was a good thing, her head tilted back against the wall, black hair out of its ponytail and jagged at the ends from the interrogator's actions. Her black jeans were soaked with her blood, the right leg of her jeans had already been cut away by Leon's shaking fingers to examine the wound, her teeth were gritted, her jaw clenched with her hands curled into fists at her side. Her leg was a bloody mess, caved in looking and completely covered in the scarlet liquid with the puddle around her getting bigger by the minutes. "Cindy, are you ok?" He asked worried scooting closer to her.

"No." She grunted, her breathing was raspy pants, raspy from the howling she'd done earlier when she'd been given her injury. "I'm on fire."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault Leon."

"I know, but it feels like it." It was silent for another few minutes, Leon trying to wrap his head around the idea that his friend probably wasn't going to live through this thing while Cynthia struggled to stay conscious and aware of what's going on. "How long was I out?"

"I can't say," She groans, "You were out for a long time."

"An hour?"

"Probably."

He could tell she was starting to struggle with her words, struggling to stay coherent. He pulled her over so her head was in his lap. "Today's thanksgiving, what's something you're thankful for? I'm thankful for the peace between Brendon and Haliah." He says, running his fingers through her now shorter black hair

"The cooperation between your family." She replied with a grunt, blue eyes open but slowly slipping closed.

"Winning the basketball championship this year." And so the game went for a while, both teens listing everything they could think of, Cynthia's replies started to get softer and shorter, a visible struggle. "Come on Cindy, your turn," Leon nudged her, "What else?" he asked the girl on his lap, her mangled leg held funny while her cheek was resting against his chest.

"I'm grateful for being alive." She gasped out, shivering slightly despite the jacket Leon had thrown over her.

"I'm grateful for the group we have."

"Your sister." She gasped, each breath was a struggle, the pool of blood on the floor around her leg was the size of a medium sized crimson colored circular rug.

"What else?" He asked, desperation coloring his tone, "Come on, there has to be something else Cindy, stay awake for me please!"

"You." She uttered, blue eyes slipping completely closed.

"Cindy stay awake! Holly's going to be here soon, don't go to sleep!" he shook her by the shoulders, "Please Cindy!"

"Leon." She breathed, and forced her blue eyes open with a struggle, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry just don't go to sleep!"

Cynthia ignores his comment, "I love you." She managed, looking at him through glassy blue eyes, shivering, her face shining with sweat and as white as chalk.

"I love you too Cindy," Leon replied and hugged her close as her eyes fluttered shut, her breathing weakened, and her shivering also slowed to a near stop. "I love you so much." He whispered into her hair, amber eyes welling with tears, "You mean the world to me." Cynthia breathed a weak purr as a response to his words before she went still, her breathing slowly stopping. Leon started crying, holding her against his body and wailing with grief, feeling the link he had to her weakening the longer he was stuck there with her unmoving in his arms.

The door burst open and Holly rushed in and promptly froze before jerking into action and carefully making Leon let Cynthia go so she could perform CPR. "Jay!" She yelled, "Bring that oxygen regulator over here!" Leon watched nearly blinded by his tears as his sister tried vainly to bring Cynthia back, feeling like there was a hole growing in his heart.

 _ **Let me know if you want a sequel to this one :) I have it planned out :) Does Cynthia Survive? Let me know if you want to see the squeal :)**_


	11. What to be Grateful For p2 (Cinderblaze)

_**Snowcrystal of Thunderclan- Your wish is fulfilled! :) This ending is quite funny if I say so myself :)**_

Cynthia didn't react to the CPR at all and Leon was about to lose hope before he remembered something. ' _The link! I can save her! If I can kickstart her breathing and heart she won't die!'_ He knocked Holly out of the way and knelt next to Cynthia, focusing on the sound of his heart beating in his ears, placing his hands on either side of Cynthia's face and breathed soft puffs of air on her face at the pace he was breathing while tapping his pulse rate on her right temple, focusing on the link which had temporarily stabilized to be weak and briefly flickering.

"I'm not letting you leave me!" He whispered to her, amber eyes roaming over her blood-streaked face, "You can't!" The determination washed over all his senses and he leaned closer, thinking he was imagining the small furrowing of her eyebrows and the faint flaring of her nose. He sent waves of affection and hope across the link at the movements in hope that he wasn't imagining anything and she were moving. Leaning closer he noticed her lips part and she breathed a rattled breath over his face, her breath washing over his face, "You can do it, Cindy, keep going. You're almost there." He could feel the link strengthening the more she struggled to regain consciousness and breathe completely on her own, right now Leon was helping her, breathing at a steady rate to help get her to react and breathe at the same rate. "Keep going Cindy, I want to see your beautiful blue eyes." He was hiding her face from the others, leaning close enough to make sure he could feel her breath on his face. Cynthia made a faint noise before her blue eyes half opened, glassy and glazed over with pain but alive and glittering with the usual kind spark her eyes always held. "Hi," He smiled at her, not budging when Holly tried to shove him out of the way.

"Hi." Cynthia gasped weakly, looking half dead and full of pain.

"Hold on," He moved and gently pressed his hand to her leg, with the link working correctly and her not blocking the pain she was feeling he couldn't heal a wound that severe but he could stop her from bleeding to death again. The pain she was feeling didn't go away at all but Leon didn't want her to die in his arms again, "You aren't leaving me," He whispered before Holly shoved him out of the way, "I love you so much, thank you Cyn."

Cynthia's blue eyes sparkled as she understood but didn't speak, probably too tired to do so as she breathed in and out at a steady pace, each inhale rattling, her blue eyes slipped mostly closed as her exhaustion pulled at her body.

:) :) :) :) :) :)

Leon leaned back against the headboard sitting in the hospital bed where Cynthia was safely sleeping, they were in the clinic in the base, safe and sound. After a long surgery where they removed the broken shards, splinters, and severed muscles of her mangled leg and put a temporary rod from her hip all the way to her ankle with a ball joint so she could have her knee bent she was resting with no chance of slipping into a coma or anything like that. He was up on the bed with her because he didn't like the visitor's chairs despite being padded leather, and preferred to be up with her to make sure nothing was going to go wrong or to give her an alternate pillow.

Right now she was lying on her back with Leon's arm over her face, one of her arms above her head and keeping his arm there to block all traces of light that had a chance of waking her up; her damp black hair spread out on the white pillow, the rough uneven cut the interrogator had made was visible by the difference in the shorter and longer strands. Her other arm was lying on her stomach with her palm on Leon's side, knowing he was there by the link's GPS system.

The door creaked open and Jay slipped into the room, blind blue eyes gazing vacantly at his brother, "I'm not even going to tell you to get down from there." The last time he told Leon that the teen had obeyed but it had woken up Cynthia who had rolled off and hit the ground with a pained thump. He checked everything over to make sure everything was functioning and asked Leon, "Has she woken up yet?"

"Nope, not yet." Leon could feel his link with Cynthia tingling as she regained consciousness but feigned still being asleep, apparently content in her position and not in the mood to talk to Jay.

"She should be waking up soon." Jay then left.

"Is he gone?" Cynthia asked once she heard the door shut.

"Yup," Leon removed his arm, causing her to hiss and blink a few times to a adjust her vision so she could see correctly. He hugged her, burying his nose in her hair, "You scared the crap out of me." He murmured and felt her arms circle his back.

"I know, and I scared myself too."

"I'm glad you're alive Cindy."

"I'm not leaving you in this screwed up world." She replied quietly, her cheek pressed against his chest, blue eyes looking out at the window where the sun was just beginning to set.

"I love you Cyn."

"I love you too Leo."

:) :) :) :)

Cynthia opened her eyes, feeling groggy and strange, she could feel her right leg tingling, ' _How can I feel it?'_ She wondered because after she nearly died a few months ago she hadn't been able to feel in that leg because she had had most of the inside of her leg removed because it had been too damaged to heal and repair itself. Leon's face came into view and he looked at her with worried eyes,

"Are you alright?You're not hurt, are you? The surgery didn't hurt you did it?"

"What surgery?" She asked groggily, racking her brain for any sort of surgery that she could remember.

"They didn't ask you?!" Leon asked alarmed, "They told me they asked you!"

"I don't remember any surgeries besides the one where my leg was cleaned out."

Leon was silent and fear sparked in Cynthia's mind before he soothed her, "It's ok, it's just they told me they asked you and filling your leg with artificial stuff isn't something they should have done without your permission."

"Filling my leg with artificial stuff?!" She asked in a higher pitched voice, blue eyes widening drastically.

"It's ok Cindy," He took her hand and helped her feel the back of her right thigh where a thick scar would be. "You can feel, move, and use your leg now, it's not a bad thing," He soothed, kissing the tip of her nose, "You'll be able to go back into the field and you're not crippled." He smiled excitedly, "You'll be able to go with me on missions and skirmishes again." Cynthia pushed away her fear and grinned, just as excited as he was, she was still able to go with him places and their relationship wouldn't be strained because of her problem.

(About a few years later)

Leon opened his eyes, hearing the sound of an alarm going off. He watched as Cynthia's arm emerged from under the blankets and slapped her phone, probably breaking the device in the process.

"I hate alarms." She muttered, popping her head out from under the blue themed blankets and rolled over to be facing him, blue eyes droopy and slightly annoyed.

"Mmm Hmm," Leon replied watching her with a smile, she was extremely grumpy when woken up by an alarm and he found it relatively adorable, He grinned at her and moved closer, squeezing her sides and getting a surprised squeal from her. "Tickles!" He grinned and Cynthia sprang up and bolted trying to escape him. Jumping off the bed he tackled her to the floor and started mercilessly tickling her, causing her to laugh, squirm and giggle trying to escape his grip. The door open and Holly face palmed, Cynthia was on her back on the ground with her hands pinned above her head, lighter blue tank top and gray sweat pants ruffled slightly, the tank top riding up to her stomach as Leon pinned her arms above her head and tickled her, he was straddling the girl keeping her from kicking him to escape, decidedly shirtless with black and red basketball shorts. Both adopted guilty expressions as Holly sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"You guys are super weird." She sighed closing her green eyes for a moment before reopening them, "I think I might have to separate you two."

"Why?" Leon asked in alarm, getting off Cynthia and helping her to her feet.

"Because I'm tired of hearing people complain about how much noise you guys make."

"Holly," Cynthia whined, "It's not our fault their complaining."

"No, but it is your fault for being that loud." Holly narrowed her green eyes at Cynthia, "You especially."

Cynthia's cheeks pinkened but she rolled her eyes, "I'm a naturally loud person, I like the noise, it's comforting."

"She's not the only one who makes noise Holly," Leon says truthfully, "Just because you're a silent ninja doesn't mean all of us are."

"No, but some people would like silence so they could sleep and not have to listen to you two horsing around until midnight."

"Hey!" Cynthia exclaimed, "I don't like what you're insinuating here, we only play around, not do what you're thinking!" Holly raised an eyebrow and Cynthia amended her statement, "Most of the time." She amended, her cheeks bright pink while Leon's ears were turning a light red.

"Get up and get ready," Holly sighed, "There's a meeting before breakfast." Both warriors pouted and she rolled her eyes, "I'll bring something." Cynthia and Leon both smiled. "Don't be late and no horsing around during it." Cynthia smiled innocently while Leon grinned with mischief in his eyes. "I mean it Leon, no horsing around during the meeting. I know and agree they can be boring but the meetings are necessary."

"Am I required to go?" He asked.

"I'm not sure-"

"Then I'm staying here," He grinned, pulling Cynthia to him who had been about to go get ready for the meeting, "And Cindy's staying with me." He pinned her to his body, his arms locked around her waist.

Holly looked at Cynthia who shrugged, "He's not letting me go." She told her friend simply, knowing he really wasn't going to let her go.

"Leon, you need to go, what're you going to do while you skip it?"

"Horse around during the day rather than at night so those nosy people can sleep." Leon grinned at his sister.

Both Holly and Cynthia were shocked exchanging looks that said, ' _What?'_ Both girls were surprised when Leon's grin widened further and he spoke again, mischief and cheek coloring his tone.

"Now, if you'll excuse us, Holly," He shut the door and pinned Cynthia to a wall, whose blue eyes were wide with shock, and surprise but lit with amusement and love. He grinned and leaned forward to close the gap between them.

Holly stared at the door for a few seconds before she sighed and rolled her eyes good-naturedly, starting to walk to the meeting room, radiating amusement.


	12. Putting Differences Aside (Cinderblaze)

_Putting Differences Aside_

 _Cynthia, Leon- 18_

 _Hannah- 18_

Cynthia and Hannah looked at each other from where they both were kneeling next to Leon. Leon needed both of them to work together to help him, red was already welling between Cynthia's fingers where she was pressing firmly on Leon's thigh where some animal had bitten him, his amber eyes were rolled back, only the whites of his eyes visible. Reluctantly working together they lifted Leon up so his arms were around both of their shoulders and they started dragging him back to their small campsite. The school had decided that a trip to the forest was needed to get the over confident students a taste of danger so all of the students were dropped off in different areas of a forest with the promise they'd be recovered within a week. Despite Leon knowing a lot about survival something had managed to bite him.

 _Cynthia and Hannah were clearing the ground away so they could have a dry campsite, staying well away from each other until they both heard a shout of pain and surprise from where Leon had disappeared to. Running they ran to that area, kicking up snow as they went to find Leon sprawled on the ground his jeans ripped and torn, blood trickling down onto the grassy ground._

" _I'm so going to smack him when he wakes up." Cynthia mutters._

Once they reached the campsite and lowered Leon to the ground Cynthia spoke up, "You stay here with him, do something about the campsite while I find something for his injury." Hannah nodded and started digging through one of the travel packs they'd been given, looking for something to make a shelter. Cynthia shrugged off her hoodie and-and t-shirt before taking out Leon's pocket knife and cutting a wide strip of fabric for a bandage then tying it around Leon's injury, moving quickly before standing up and pulling her hoodie back on over her head over her tank-top and strode off into the woods while Hannah got to work.

Leon opened his eyes a few hours later to the sounds of a small fire crackling, it's shadow's flickering on the wall. He sat up and pushed the blanket and jacket off him and got to his feet, nearly falling flat on his face in the process. He pushed the tarp out of the way so he could leave the tarp tent like thing and found Cynthia and Hannah getting along relatively well, laughing and messing around, Cynthia was tying what looked like sturdy vines together forming a net-like thing, while Hannah was keeping the fire going. Both girls looked up as he came out and smile at him.

"Leon!" Hannah chirped, "How are you feeling?"

"Do you know what bit you, Leo?" Cynthia asked him, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," He was confused on how and why they were getting along, "I think it was a wolf, I'm not quite sure." He settled down on one of the logs the girls had heaved into a triangular shape, scrutinizing both of them and noticing the strip of fabric wound around Hannah's ankle peeking out from under her tennis shoes, along with the thin scratches and tears along Cynthia's arms and jeans. "What happened to you guys?"

"Long story," Hannah smiled, "I sprained my ankle,"

"And I fought a wolf." Cynthia joked, "Nah, I just fell out of a tree getting the vines." She tightened a few knots on the mentioned vine net thing.

"What're you making?" Leon asked curiously.

"A hammock," Cynthia replied, getting to her feet and demonstrating by sliding a loop onto a branch and pulling on it to tighten all the square knots and give a demonstration of its strength. "I'm working on one more."

"Only two?" He asked a bit amused.

Cynthia gave him a funny look, "You wish. I already have one finished, it's just not hung up yet." He pouted slightly, a smile playing on his lips.

Hannah laughed, heather blue eyes twinkling with amusement, "I'm sure that if we only had two you'd flatten Cynthia in your sleep."

"I wouldn't doubt it, he's done it before during a sleepover with the whole basketball team." Cynthia snorts, taking the hammock back down. Leon was stunned, both of them were getting along without any issues at all, no fighting, arguing, or glaring at each other. "I heard a river near here, I think I'm going to try my luck," She continued, putting the vine hammock down next to another one that he hadn't noticed before. She pulled a switchblade from one of the packs along with some twine, throwing it into a small bag and slinging it over one shoulder before disappearing into the darkening forest.

"Have fun!" Hannah called to her, a smile on her face.

"I think I'm going back to sleep." Leon murmured, his head spinning from the shock at the two girls getting along, he got to his feet and disappeared into the tarp tent, curling back up on the sleeping bags that he'd been asleep on earlier and going back to sleep.

Hannah giggled before throwing a few more logs onto the fire and making sure it wouldn't die out.

 _Cynthia returned carrying an armful of wood and helped Hannah haul Leon into the tarp tent the latter had set up when she left. After he was asleep rather than being half conscious Cynthia got to work stacking up all the wood near a circle of rocks Hannah had made earlier. "We need to get more if we want a fire most of the night." She commented._

" _Well we should probably get more then right?"_

" _Yes."_

 _The walk through the forest was silent and uncomfortable, both girls collecting wood as they went but avoiding each other. Until Cynthia heard Hannah gasp and heard the branches she'd been carrying tumble to the ground. She turned around to face the blonde, "Are you ok?"_

" _No," Hannah gasped, her face paling slightly. "I think I twisted my ankle."_

" _Seriously?" Cynthia groaned, but she went over and checked her ankle. She could feel Hannah's ankle starting to swell at a fast rate. 'Great.' She put her wood pile down and crouched so her back was facing Hannah. "Get on."_

" _What?!"_

" _Get on my back, I'll give you a piggy back ride back to the campsite." Cynthia explained, half expecting her to refuse, "If you don't I'll just drag you."_

" _Oh, okay." Hannah staggered over to her and got on the taller girl's back. Cynthia got to her feet and started weaving her way back to the campsite. "Sorry," Hannah apologized meekly, "I'm not used to this thick undergrowth."_

" _I know," Cynthia replied with a sigh, she seemed at home in the denser undergrowth, the branches of bushes gently whipping at her legs, "You're used to the fields and meadows. It's what you grew up in." She shrugged her shoulders slightly, "It's not your fault." it was quiet for a few more minutes before Hannah spoke kindly._

" _I'm not taking him from you you know that right? I don't like Leon like that anymore." Cynthia didn't reply, keeping silent, "He's more like an annoying brother then a good looking guy." Hannah told her, "I'm not here to take him away from you, I didn't choose the groups."_

" _No, you didn't," Cynthia sighed, "But Holly did and boy did I have bad luck."_

" _What do you mean?"_

" _Leon and I were originally going with Isabella before Holly begged firen to change it, the only other person with a flexible group was you, so Holly got it changed."_

" _I can't be as bad as Isa," Hannah laughed a bit nervously._

" _Of course not, you're not half as bad, but I'm not fond of people trying to take Leon from me." Cynthia replied, shifting Hannah slightly and ducking to avoid getting a branch to the face._

" _It's been a full year since you two got together, I'm not hung up on him Cynthia, besides," Hannah speaks a little shyly, "Besides, I like someone else."_

 _That was music to Cynthia's ears, at once her wariness and cold shoulderness disappeared and she smiled cheekily, "Who is the lucky guy?"_

 _Hannah laughed, "So you like gossip?"_

" _Sometimes," Cynthia relents, "Usually when it involves the ability of teasing the person for it."_

" _I can see that," Hannah giggles before answering her question, a bit pink in the face, "Well you know that Harry guy you introduced me to after you and Leon got together?"_

" _Course I do, light brown hair, nearly my height, and hazel eyes right?"_

" _Yup, spot on. Anyway, so that day Bree gave me a letter that she told me someone wanted her to give it to me, that was before you introduced me to him, when I got home I opened the letter and found it was an invitation to a blind date."_

" _Really? Did you go?"  
_ " _Course! Didn't want to hurt the guy's feelings, so I went to the date and the guy turned out to be Harry!"_

" _Awe!"_

" _I know right? And I've learned my lesson from you two," Hannah smiled at the black haired girl, "I'm taking it slow, I don't want it to end up being a train wreck."_

" _Don't go as slow as we did alright?" Cynthia rolled her eyes, "Leon and I took nearly seven years just to clean up the drama we were causing eachother."_

" _I won't go that slow," Hannah giggled as the campsite came into view, "I hope you'll help me if something happens."_

" _Sure, why not?" Cynthia replied genuinely. Hannah was surprised, she didn't think she'd actually agree to help her._

" _Thanks Cynthia."_

" _No problem Hannah, why don't you start a fire with what we have here, there should be cloth strips in the bag next to that tree," She pointed as she let her down, "you can bind your ankle with them, I'll come back with some water and it can act like a temporary icepack."_

" _Right, I'll get to it, thanks again."_

" _No problem," She turned and started leaving before she turned around, a sheepish look on her face, "Sorry about the whole paint thing."_

" _I'd forgotten about that actually," Hannah smiled, "Leon got you back for me and you've got mud right here," She mimed where mud was streaking Cynthia's left cheek, "so we're even."_

 _Cynthia rubbed the mud off before she stuck out her hand, "Friends?"_

 _Hannah grasped her hand firmly, "Friends." She agreed._

Leon watched Cynthia hang up her hammock. ' _Screw it.'_ Timing it so she'd be climbing up into the hammock he lunged, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling backward, lifting her feet off the ground and moving back towards his hammock before sitting on it with the struggling Cynthia. Hannah giggles and rolls over in her hammock, giving the couple privacy while she laughed.


	13. AU A Squid (Cinderblaze)

_Snowcrystal of Thunderclan- Haven't replied to any reviews lately right? XD I'm glad you like them being friends :) But I have bad news :(_

 _Like the ending to What To Be Grateful For? :)_

 _Unicorn Brownies- Yay! You're reading this XD  
:D I'm glad you also like them being friends :) I try my hardest to keep Hannah from looking like an obsessed teenager with no life outside Leon as she gets older :)_

 _AU An Annoying Squid_

 _Cynthia, Leon- 17_

 _Isa- 16 ½_

 _Holly, Jay, Bree- 17 ½_

Skylar sighed as she walked into the living room. The basketball team had stayed over for a sleepover and the entire team was crashed there with the addition to the teens who already lived in the house. Cynthia, Leon, and Holly were asleep on the couch, Cynthia stretched out on her side curled into a half ball, one arm flung over her eyes the other flung out next to her, Leon curled around her from behind, his hand resting on her lower right thigh, his chin resting on the top of her head, essentially spooning the black haired girl, Isa was asleep behind him, her back pressed against his, one arm thrown over her eyes, Holly was curled in a ball next to Cynthia, the other girl's arm over her eyes and hiding them from any light.

Jay was asleep in the recliner with Bree asleep next to him, the two squished into the comfortable chair, her wheelchair sitting there next to it. The rest of the team was sprawled out on the floor asleep in many variations of sleeping positions. Skylar sighed but got to work cleaning up the trash, random DVDs and threw blankets over each of the players, tucking the edges under them. She let Cynthia and Leon share a blanket so did Bree and Jay but everyone else got their own, even Isa who was pressed as close to Leon as she could get. She had to go to work but the company was going to be coming over later and the team was staying over until Thanksgiving which was in a few days. She'd figure out the sleeping arrangements later.

:) :) :) :) :) :)

Cynthia's sapphire blue eyes slowly slid open and she groggily turned her head and looked at the clock before getting out of Leon's grip and stretched out on her stomach, her face turned towards Leon's so she could feel his breath smelling of spearmint and cinnamon flitted over her face. She settled back into sleep and didn't notice Leon slipping one arm under her waist and settling on his back, starting to softly snore, his face still turned towards hers. ' _Eight o'clock is too early'_

:) :) :) :) :) :)

Leon's amber eyes slid open to the sound of people waking up and stirring, his eyes softened at the sight of his friend sleeping next to him, lying on her stomach in her usual position, one arm pinned under her stomach and his back, the other bent at the elbow, her palm resting on his t-shirt, blue eyes closed and breathing a cat-like purr. As much as he wished he could stay like that the whole relationship was still on thin ice and a secret to everyone besides Holly and Jay. He carefully pulled his arm out from under her waist and put both arms over his head looking up at the ceiling. Cynthia shifted away from him and threw her free arm over her head, not waking up just yet. He dozed off, subconsciously turning just slightly towards Cynthia

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

"Two boys are going to have to sleep with the girls in Holly and Cynthia's room." Skylar told the group that night, "There isn't enough room in Leon and Jay's room for all ten boys."

"I'll sleep in in there with the girls," Leon said confidently, "You can trust me."

"He can share with me," Cynthia said, "He won't dare do what he's not supposed to with me threatening to punch him."

"If Leon's going then I am too." Jay said calmly, "I don't want to be teased or harassed."

Leon and Jay waited till the girls were changed and chatting with each other before entering, Jay wearing gray black fleece PJ bottoms with a t-shirt that said, "Sleeping, do not disturb." In red lettering. Leon was wearing his usual PJs, a black muscle shirt, and basketball shorts, comfortable. Isa couldn't take her eyes off him, she was wearing white sweats and a t-shirt that had a bunch of zzz's scattered along the front. Holly was braiding her long black hair wearing black PJ bottoms and a t-shirt with the words, "Warning, silent but sleeping." Bree was already sitting up in Holly's spare mattress, leaning against a wall and reading a book, a braille copy on the mattress next to her, her dark brown hair up in a french braid wearing light blue footies with small positive emojis scattered all over the entire thing with the words, "Emoji Explosion!" On the front. Cynthia was taking her hair out of her usual ponytail before she shook her head and the strands settled nicely behind her ears and tumbled down her shoulders to the small of her back, she was wearing a blue tank-top that complimented her eyes and light gray yoga pants. Isa stared at her in surprise that she didn't seem to care that both boys were in the room.

Cynthia raised an eyebrow, "I didn't let them in here to sacrifice my comfort, I'm sleeping how I want to," She shrugged easily, ignoring the sharp glance at her from Leon of the raising and lowering of her lightly tanned shoulders, "I live with them, if they have an issue with it, they can go crash on the couch." She strode over to her bottom bunk and slipped under her covers, flopping on her stomach and going to sleep. Leon followed her example and got under the blue sports ball covered blankets lying on his back and closing his eyes. Bree guided Jay so he didn't fall and trip over the extra mattress before both settled down and read a book. Holly finished braiding her hair and climbed up to her bunk before settling down and drifting off. Isa warily watched Leon and Cynthia for a few moments before she too climbed up, settled down, and went to sleep, out like a light.

Isa was the first to wake up though and she climbed down the ladder and froze, Cynthia and Leon were still asleep, but close together, Cynthia was curled into his side, her nose pressed against his shoulder, one arm draped over his body while Leon was still slightly snorting, one arm wrapped around Cynthia's waist the other curled around the back of her knees. Isa yelled startled and actually fell off the ladder, Landing on Bree and Jay. Bree jolted awake with a pained yelp as she fell on top of her while Jay grunted and shoved her off. Holly peered over the railing of her bunk in worry, green eyes foggy. Cynthia and Leon startled awake as well, groggily pushing each other away and partially sitting up, Cynthia's hand clenched into a fist around her blanket, blue eyes blurry from sleep, Leon's expression mirroring hers, eyes blurry and groggy, body language drowsy and half asleep, partially defensive. Skylar came running and so did everyone else. Isa blushed as she got to her feet, "S-Sorry, I was surprised."

"By?" Skylar asked taking in the entire sight, Cynthia and Leon still half asleep, Holly peering over the railing, Jay checking Bree over for injuries and Bree groaning from Isa landing on her.

Isa hesitated before speaking, figuring out how to get Cynthia into trouble, "I was startled because Cynthia and Leon were sleeping together."

"What?!" Cynthia burst out, "I fell asleep before you did!"

Leon rolled his eyes and flopped back on his back, "She's overreacting mom, we were asleep the entire time, come on Holly tell her."

"I would've woken up if there was any noise, I didn't and I'm sure they were only sleeping." Holly said appeasing her mother, "They were sleeping." She emphasized the word sleeping.

"Look, Holly, you sleep in Cynthia's bed with Leon and Cynthia-"

"I don't mind moving," Isa says quietly, a small amount of hope coloring her tone.

"Fine whatever, I'm going back to sleep."

Cynthia sighed in defeat and climbed up with Holly muttering curse words under her breath as she settled down on her side, blue eyes open and fully awake. Leon was already asleep, curled into a tight ball in a corner while Isa smiled and settled down in Cynthia's bed next to Leon who shifted as she threw one arm over him. Cynthia watched the entire thing and gritted her teeth, forcing her blue eyes squeezed shut and trying to some sleep out of the whole situation. She slept fitfully the entire night, tossing and turning bothering Holly who curled up in a corner and fell asleep while Cynthia read a book, watched a movie on her phone with headphones, swing her legs over the railing and did everything possible to tired herself out, even going outside at 4 in the morning, in the rain and running 30 laps around the large area before jumping in their pool and doing laps that way, then climbing trees and watching the sun rise. Finally, around 8 she managed to get back up to Holly's bed and finally fall asleep for two hours when Skylar woke them all up to get to work on chores. Cynthia groaned when she said that and trudged off outside before jumping into their pool to wake herself up. Hauling her body out of the water she went back inside and upstairs, passing the boys who stared at her, the water dripping down her body and hair. She came back down with the rest of the girls, along with Jay, and Leon. Blue eyes fully awake and aware, but her exhaustion not present.

So that's how it went for a few days, Isa smugly getting to sleep next to Leon who was uncomfortable about the whole thing while Cynthia ran laps, cleaned, organized, swam, climbed, read every book in the house and worked on her basketball skills all at night and waking herself up by jumping into the freezing pool every morning. She didn't show any signs of exhaustion beside the occasional attention lapse. By day five the entire house was clean thanks to Cynthia's night time excursions and Skylar's slave driver during the day. Most of the team had gone home, only Isa staying beside Bree and the four who lived here. Finally, Leon got fed up with it, during some time they weren't cleaning he pushed Cynthia against a wall at the top of the stairs and looked closely at her face, he noticed the exhaustion pulling at her gorgeous eyes and the slight frown on her lips. "You're tired." He said simply, feeling guilty he hadn't tried to escape Isa and sleep up with her and Holly.

"Yes." She replied with a tired tone, "I'm exhausted."

"I'm sorry." He said, tracing the slight bags under her eyes with his thumb.

"There isn't anything you can do, Isa clings to you like a squid when she's asleep," Cynthia shrugs tiredly, "I can handle it, Leon,"

"I know, but I don't want you to."

"Isa's coming you guys." Holly hissed as she passed to go down the stairs. Cynthia's blue eyes were torn with a pleading hope, exhaustion, and grudging acceptance. Leon looked at her eyes and quickly pressed a fleeting kiss to her forehead before hurrying back downstairs while Cynthia went up to ready the guest rooms. It took a few more days before Cynthia actually started getting clumsy and forgetful, sometimes privately asking Skylar for a repeat of the instructions to what she needed to do, she tripped down the stairs a thousand times, tripped on the ladder of Holly's bunk, stubbed her toes multiple times; but she never asked Isa to leave or for Skylar to change her mind on the sleeping arrangements.

Leon met up with her again and looked at her with helplessness in his eyes. Cynthia was usually considered drop dead gorgeous but right not she was drop dead exhausted, blue eyes plainly showing her tiredness, a frown usually in place of the beautiful smile she always had, and if you bumped into her she'd probably hit the ground and pass out. Finally, Leon was done with it. He pushed Cynthia onto the couch, threw her a pillow and told everyone he was going to make Cynthia take a nap. Isa asked why, worried all her efforts on getting his attention were failing, but he only replied because she's tired. He informed them he would be watching a movie and if they wanted to join him they could.

Skylar let Leon start up the movie and coax Cynthia to sleep while the others kept working for a little longer. Finally, after ten minutes they trudged into the room where Leon was sitting on the couch, Cynthia asleep against his shoulder, her blue eyes closed, expression tired but peaceful. Holly gave her brother a blanket and Isa grudgingly sat down on the part of the couch Cynthia wasn't blocking, who's head was resting on Leon's shoulder, legs curled beneath her but also partially spread out, both arms resting at her sides. Holly curled up on a recliner while Jay and Bree took the other one, all of them watched the movie, Cynthia dead to the world, Leon watching the movie and forcing himself not to kiss her crown or run his fingers through her hair. When the movie finished Cynthia was jolted awake by Isa discreetly pinching her ankle.

She regained her bearings as fast as lightning and sat up straight, taking out her ponytail and re-doing it then they all went and got more orders from Skylar who was panicking about the whole thing. Brad's work was having a party here and a few families needed to stay over, Skylar was working on menus, sleeping arrangements, cleaning, activities, and entertainment. Leon locked eyes with Cynthia as they all got into their beds, promising he'd try to escape tonight.

Cynthia waited for a few hours, curled up on her side and staring out of the window. Leon finally managed to get free of Isa without waking her up before he climbed up to Holly's bed, his sister hissed, "Leon?" Leon put a finger to his lips and settled down behind Cynthia, wrapping an arm around her waist and drawing her flush against his body, burying his nose in her vanilla scented hair. Holly sighed but her lips twitched into a smile and she settled behind him to steal some of his body heat. Cynthia was out like a light, the purring breathing her made while contently sleeping vibrating her throat.


	14. Briarfeather) Pouting and Ice Cream

_Pouting, tree climbing, and ice cream_

Jay sulked on a branch in the tree he was hiding in, he was sulking because Hadara was mad at him and refused to tell him why. ' _Why are girls so complicated?! They're so confusing and emotional.'_

"Jay?" He jumped and nearly fell off his branch hearing Bree's voice a foot or so to his right, "Are you sulking again?" She playfully teased, "This tree is now dubbed the Jay's Sulking Tree."

"Ha ha ha," he said dryly, rolling his blind blue eyes, "You're so funny, Bree. And no, I am not sulking. How did you get up here?"

"I climbed it myself!" Bree grinned, she was hanging off a branch a foot or so higher than him, the strong muscles in her arms letting her climb trees. "It's great up here! Now,tell me why you're sulking."

Jay reluctantly opened his mouth to explain but she interrupted him.

"Wait, give me a second." Moving up into a pull-up position she swung back and forth to get her feet over the branch next to Jay after her feet cleared it she careful lowered herself down onto the branch, wrapping her arms around the branch conveniently in front of her at chest height, she rested her chin on the bark. "Now tell me why you're sulking."

Hadara's mad at me again."

"Again?" Bree asked in surprise, "She seems to get mad at you at least five times a week."

"She does, and she never tells me why she's so mad and what I did to cause it." He says dully before abruptly getting angry, "How am I supposed to fix it if I don't know what I did! Why can't girls be like you?!" He complained, gesturing to the hyperactive bundle of joy that was his best friend, "Not constantly getting mad or offended at everything a guy like me does!"

"While I'm flattered you like my personality that much," Bree giggled, "I'm sure that if you had that many people like me you'd have a full head of gray hair and be grumpier than a drenched house cat." She grinned happily, "besides! If everyone's like me then I wouldn't be so special now would I?!"

"Your right, that would be complete chaos."

"Yup!" She smiled widely, "wanna start a tradition and get some ice cream?"

"Like you need any more sugar."

"Nope! But you need something cheery! And I've decided it going to be a hug and an ice cream cone!"

"Alright fine. Let's get down from here without breaking anything else before we can go do as you suggested."

"Okay!" Bree slithered off the branch like a snake and started climbing down, Jay following her path.

:) :) :) :)

Bree grinned at him and opened her arms expectantly. Jay sighed but knelt down in front of her and reluctantly let her glomp him in a huge happy hug before they entered the ice cream parlor,Bree acting like a little kid and looking at everything, a wide smile on her face as she chirped a cheerful hello to absolutely everyone in the place, bringing a smile to everyone's face including Jay's.

:) :) :) :)

Jay slouched off to the ice cream parlor, the place had grown on him over the past year. Right now he was upset, being friends with benefits with Bree was nice but he was still upset over the break up with Hadara. He heard tires rolling along beside him and heard Bree's cheerful happy voice, "Hey Jay! No tree climbing this time?" She asked him, opening the door for him to walk through before pushing it farther and darting in after him.

"No, I'm not in the mood for it today." He muttered.

"Okay, hey Grace, can we get what we usually get?" The paralyzed girl chirped, sliding the correct amount of money across the counter that nearly eye level with her.

"Of course Bree, we'll bring it over to your table. "

Jay moved to take out his wallet but Bree grasped his wrist, "It's my turn, I've got it handled. Come on," she led him to the table they usually occupied near the door. She studied his face for a moment before speaking, "Hadara again?"

"I don't know what I did wrong for that to happen to me."

"You didn't do anything wrong, Jay," Bree told him calmly, toning down the hyperactive happiness and revealing her a calm intelligence that most people didn't get a chance to see. "Sometimes people just don't get along, their personalities clash too much for them to get along, sometimes they don't agree enough or back down and let each other win."Jay sighed, listening to the sound of plastic being set down on the table.

"It still hurts."

"It does." Bree agreed, pushing his mint chocolate chip with M & M's container over to him and digging her spoon into her chocolate and vanilla swirl with hot fudge and caramel chunks ice cream. "But someone will come along and they, no matter who they are, will be the person who knows you best and gets along with you." She grinned at him, "They could even be underneath your nose." She hinted, her grin widening at his confusion.

"What?" His eyebrows furrowed slightly in confusion.

"nothing. Want to go climb the tree after this? We can't just abandon the tradition!" Her hyperactive attitude returned and she grinned from ear to ear, "we're just doing it backward today!"

"Alright," he laughed licking up his spoon, "we can climb the tree after this. You need to burn off this sugar energy." Bree just smiled and put a spoon of her chosen treat into her mouth.


	15. Don't Let Me Fall! (Cinderblaze)

_Don't let me Fall!_

 _Cinderblaze_

 _Cynthia, Leon- 18 ½_

 _Mike, Holly, Jay, Bree- 19_

 _Brendon Haliah- 19 ½_

"I'm stuck!" Mike yelled down to his friends, "I can't get back down!"

"What're we going to do now?" Brendon sighed, craning his neck to look up at the eighteen-year-old boy who was afraid of heights and was now stuck in the huge maple tree.

Cynthia sighed and jogged over to the tree before jumping up and heaving herself up onto the lowest branch, "I'll go fetch him."

"Be careful Cindy!" Haliah yelled to her sister worried about her falling out of the tree again.

"I am!" ' _I hate climbing trees.'_ Cynthia called back and thought as she worked on climbing to the boy who was at least seventy-five feet up in the tree. A few years ago she had fallen from a tree at summer camp and ended up breaking her right leg, scaring her for life, this was the sixth time she had climbed a tree since then, and never this high. As she neared her friend she became cautious and careful, making sure wherever she put her feet was a safe and sturdy place. Starting to lead him back down they got to about fifty feet before Mike slipped and she pulled him back up onto the branch.

Then, with a startled howl her feet slipped out from underneath her and she plummeted, the hood of her hoodie flapping in the wind. Haliah screamed and covered her face with her hands, peeking between her fingers. Cynthia fell about thirty feet before she was jerked to a stop, her hood was caught on a decently sized branch. Swinging slightly from her momentum she yelped in terror, kicking her legs and looking for a branch she could get back on. "Holy Starclan!" She shrieked, using her hands to grip the branch her hood was caught on in terror. "Get me down from here!" She yelled, "I'm going to fall again!"

Brendan rushed to be standing under her, "Let go! I'll catch you!"

"If you touch me, Brendon!" Cynthia shrieked, "I'll kick your butt into next week!" the sleeves of her hoodie pulled up over her hands as she hung by her hood, the jacket itself riding up to her ribs as she jerked farther down at a small tearing noise. "And stop staring at me!" She kicked violently but didn't release the branch to adjust her shirt which was riding up with the jacket, "Get me down from here!" Her voice was hysteric as she hung about twenty feet from the ground.

"What do you want us to do?!" Brendon asked, adverting his eyes and staring at the ground, "You won't let me catch you so what should we do?"

"I don't care! Get me down from here! I don't want to fall again!"

"Then let go!"

"I don't want you touching me!" She shrieked hysterically, "I'd rather fall than have you catch me! I don't trust you as far as I can throw you!"

"Cyn!" Haliah came running back with Leon on her heels, "I'll catch you!" Cynthia's boyfriend yelled, looking up at her, "I promise!"

"I don't want to fall again!"

"I won't let you get hurt!" He yelled back, standing beneath her on the ground, craning his neck to look up at her, "I promise!"

Cynthia dropped further as the hood tore some more and she yelped, her fingers slipping away from the branch, "Don't let me… FALL!" Her hood tore when she was saying the last word and she plummeted the last twenty feet, black hair billowing above her and landing like Leon told her she would, on top of him. But her weight and momentum were more than expected, and that sent them both to the sand and dirt mixed earth, sending up a cloud of earthy sand. Haliah rushed over, kicking up dirt as she went, the dust cloud cleared to reveal Leon flat on his back with Cynthia sprawled on top of him, her nose scrunched against his shoulder, her body flat on top of him at a diagonal angle.

"Ugh…" Leon groaned, dazed from the fall. He lifted his head to look at the girl sprawled on top of him, "You ok?"

"I'll let you know when my heart starts again," Cynthia replied in a high pitched and shaky voice.

"You do that." He put his head back down and groaned once again, "That hurt more than I thought it would. You're heavier than I thought."

"Look who's talking fatso," Cynthia replied snidely.

"I deserved that." He winced, "you're not fat Cyn, you're only heavy because you have more muscle than most girls do." He told her, and noticed the piercing pain in his ribcage, "While I wouldn't mind this position normally, my ribs feel like they're being crushed."

Haliah helped her sister off him, Cynthia was trembling from head to toe, blue eyes wide with fear. "Are you ok Cindy?" Her sister asked her worriedly, "You're not hurt are you?" Brendon was up fetching his scared of heights brother at the moment.

"N-no." Cynthia stammered, looking worse for wear and terrified but mostly unharmed. "H-had the l-life scared out of m-me th-though."

"I'm sure you did." She hugged her sister tightly as Leon got up to his feet, wheezing slightly.

He pulled his girlfriend away from her sister and hugged her, kissing her crown, and holding her tightly as she shook in fear, he could almost hear her heart beating at a hundred miles an hour, he could feel her pulse from where she had her head pressed against his shoulder, her neck against his, and he could feel her accelerated pulse rate. Scooping her up in his arms he started back to the cabins. "Where're you going?" Haliah asked him worried about her sister.

"To her cabin room where she can be treated for shock and settle down from her fear." He replied over his shoulder, continuing his way to the cabins, Cynthia clutching his shirt with both hands, blue eyes squeezed shut.

:) :) :)

Cynthia was asleep now and had been for the past two hours, stretched out on her stomach, her head tucked under Leon's chin, who was sleeping as well. With that much danger today, both of them were done for the day, Despite it only being seven in the evening they were out, asleep and dead to the world, clothed in pj's and had been too lazy to move the blankets.

Holly walked in and refrained from rolling her eyes and waking them up. instead, choosing to pull up the few blankets and tuck the sleeping couple in, figuring her friend was stressed out enough without her waking her up to reprimand her. When neither of them moved she knew they were super tired, usually Leon was a light sleeper, Cynthia could sleep like the dead when she was exhausted, but Leon was rarely a deep sleeper, being too fidgety to stay asleep for a while.

In fact, he was almost as bad as Bree was, who was such an active sleeper that unless you were Jay -who knew how to avoid her movements- or didn't mind being either squished, cuddled or accidentally hit, you wouldn't get in a single ounce of sleep. "Night you two," She sighed, resigning to the idea of crashing in her other brother's cabin room where Leon's bed was now vacant.


	16. Go! I'll find you! AU Cinderblaze

_**For some reason replying to reviews have been skipping my mind! XD I'm terribly sorry about that :'( and will make sure to start doing it as much as I used to :)**_

 _ **Unicorn brownies- Smiley faces :)**_

 _ **Snowcrystal of Thunderclan- Cuteness! :) The beginning to this one isn't as cute… but it is funny and fluffy toward the end :) I love happy endings!**_

 _ **What part of these do you love? I'd love to know so I can make them even better! :)**_

 _AU Go! I'll find you and I'll come back! I promise!_

 _Cinderblaze_

 _Cynthia- 19_

 _Leon- 18_

 _Diana-10_

"In here! It's open!" Cynthia told Leon from where she was bringing up the rear, her pistol in one hand as she took every opening to shoot down the infected and defend them against them.

"Is it empty?!" Leon asked her, he was leading Diana, protecting the blond haired and sky blue eyed immune ten year old girl from harm. "We don't want any infected jumping us!" He flicked his golden blonde bangs out of his amber eyes. Cynthia scooped up a older and rusty metal pipe before kicking down the wooden door and swinging the pipe into an infected's skull before dropping the now red stained pipe, sapphire blue eyes fierce, black hair up in a grimy high ponytail.

"It's empty, get in there!" All three of them scurried into the place, Cynthia shooting more of the infected as they went. After a few minutes they were starting to be over run by the many hordes of infected. Cynthia had been pondering an option since they reached the entrance to the city's exit and despite the heavy feeling in her gut they needed to get Diana to the research lab to cure the pandemic wreaking havoc on their country. "The exit is a gate upstairs to your left." She said to Leon, speaking over the horrific groaning and grunting from the infected. "Take my crowbar and get out of here, I'll cover for you."

"What?!" Both Diana and Leon exclaimed, staring at her in shock, the former staring at her from her hiding place, the latter pausing in his actions of throwing small knives to stare at her.

"I'll stay here and cover you while you two get out of here."

"We're not leaving you here!" Diana exclaimed, sky blue eyes fearful, "We can't leave you to die!"

"Cyn, you can't ask this of me," Leon pleaded with his only friend. "You can't be telling me to leave you here."

Cynthia turned blue eyes on him, "We promised Ivory we'd get her sister to her, one of us has to stay."

"But-"

"No buts about it, I'm staying and you're taking your cousin to her sister and the lab." She told him insistently, blue eyes flashing stubbornly, her jaw set. For a moment they had a staring contest and Cynthia shot another infected without breaking the contest between her and Leon.

"Alright." He sighed resignedly, turning to look up at the gate barely visible behind the barely functioning stairway. "Diana, go up the stairs, I'll meet you up there." The ten year old protested.

"Leon, we can't just leave her-"

"I said go up the stairs." The eighteen-year-old boy spoke in a hard tone.

"But-"

"Go up the stairs Diana!" He barked, pointing at the stairwell. Diana opened her mouth but shut it as she caught the pain in her cousin's amber eyes and scurried up the stairs Leon was telling her to go up. The moment Diana disappeared from view he turned to his friend who was watching him, blue eyes fierce and stubborn but mirroring his pain. "I can't change your mind?" He asked her, getting closer as the infected struggled against the barred doorway.

"No, you're more important." She tells him and Leon studied her. Ever since he could remember once the pandemic started Cynthia had been there to save his sorry behind more than once, the first time he had met her was after his siblings vanished and the person taking care of them had been infected, nearly infecting him as well. But Cynthia had arrived, the blue eyed girl saved his butt and he owed everything to her.

" _Help! Someone Help me!" Leon's thirteen year old self struggled against the infected adult pinning him to the floor and trying to sink it's teeth into his neck, "I don't want to be like them! Help me!" He cried, struggling harder._

" _Get your head down!" A female voice yelled and Leon flattened himself further against the floor. He saw something metal out of the corner of his eye and a metal pipe crashed into the infected person's head, sending them flying off Leon and lying motionless on the ground. A girl about a year older than him was standing near him, the piper held firmly in one hand while she whipped out a pistol and shot the infected as it started to stir. "You ok?" She asked him, blue eyes concerned as she tucked the gun away and rested the pipe on her shoulder like a baseball bat._

" _Y-yeah, thanks."_

" _No problem. Come with me, I have a safe place that's away from all of the infected."_

" _O-okay."_

Surviving for five years was unheard of, especially with the entire city that they lived in overrun by hordes and hordes of the vicious creatures. Of course, falling in love with her hadn't been his plan, but he wouldn't take it back for anything in the world. He studied her for a few more moments, working to memorise her features, even though he already had. But he prefered to study her during or after a battle, she was different then, fierce, covered in blood and grime, the red liquid streaking across her right cheek, the scar she had from an idiot human nearly running her through with a shard of glass, shining in the available light, blue eyes fierce and protective over him and Diana, black hair streaked with red blood but up and mostly out of her face, thin tendrils occasionally hanging down in front of her face.

"It's ok Leon," she started to reassure him but he stopped her mid sentence, after very breifly checking that the infected weren't close enough to be too much of an issue he had kissed her midsentence, pouring his heart out into one last moment. He closed his eyes tightly, blocking out the sounds and sight of the broken down place and the situation they were in. Cynthia quickly figured out what he was doing and responded in turn, blue eyes sliding closed in process.

"Leon! Come on!" Diana yelled to him a minute later, "They're coming!" She couldn't see what was holding him up but could hear the infected getting steadily closer. He heard her yell and drew back from Cynthia, watching her with pain in his eyes as he backed away towards the stairwell.

"I'm coming!" He yelled back, backing up to the lowest stair, his heels hitting the side of it. "Cyn… I-"

"I know." She told him, blue eyes gleaming with the same emotions, "I know what you're trying to say." She smiled brightly at him, "and I love you as well, now get out of here you rascal."

"I'm going." He started up the stairs and paused half way up. "I love you too Cyn." He then ran up the stairs and led Diana out out of the place and the city, jumping into the forest below. Before he jumped her heard Cynthia yell to him.

"I'll find you again! I promise Leon!" And he plunged into the undergrowth, Diana right behind him.

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 _ **I can't do another cliffie to you guys XD Continue reading! :)**_

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Leon opened his eyes with a sigh. It had been nearly a month since he had taken Diana and left Cynthia behind. He had found the lab alright and had been there for at least a week and a half, hoping Cynthia would find them and wasn't infected. Everyone kept telling him to give up, that she couldn't have made it, but he never did give up on his friend, he'd seen her escape from things by the skin of her teeth, she always survived. She had to be alive and surviving like she always did. Right now he was sitting in the organized building of a lab and headquarters, near the front door and watching them preform tests on Diana, who were still looking for the cure.

The front door swung open and he sat up straighter, thinking he was imagining things. The person's voice only confirmed she was real.

"Anyone miss me? Or have I been wiped from everyone's memories?" She spoke with amusement, blue eyes twinkling, but she was looking around for someone. Her black hair was up in a sloppy high ponytail, her clothing was stained with blood and grime, her black running shoes were stained red on the sides and bottom, there was a thin spray of freckles across the bridge of her nose and cheekbones. Leon literally sprang to his feet and rushed over to envelop her in a tight embrace, his muscular arms wrapped tightly around her lower back.

"You survived!" Diana squealed happily, sky blue eyes glittering with surprise and happiness, she felt an immense weight leave her shoulders at the sight of the healthy and perfectly normal nineteen-year old who was quite skilled in the butt kicking department.

Leon didn't give Cynthia time to reply, instead pressing his lips to hers for a few moments before drawing back and speaking in a raspyish voice, ignoring the other people in the room and leaning his forehead against hers, "You came back."

"Yes, I did." Cynthia replied softly, locking eyes with him, "I promised you I'd come back."

Leon's attitude shifted and a smile appeared on his face before he lifted her up so she was slung over his shoulder upside down with the back of her knees on his shoulder. "You goofball!" She exclaimed half stern and half laughing, inwardly thanking the habit she had of tucking her shirt into her jeans, "Let me down!"

"Nope." He replied with a smirk, picking up her pack and slinging it over his other shoulder and starting to strut towards the hallway. "I've decided that you're deemed mine."

"Don't I get a choice in the matter?" She giggled while shrugging in an upside down way to Ivory and Diana in plain amusement, her hair hanging down below her head and swinging slightly from Leon's movements.

"Nope! Not this time!" Leon grinned, and she laughed, her laughter fading from everyone else's ears as he struted into the hallway and started down it, amber eyes gleaming happily.

"Goofus!" She complained as he kept going, his movements elated and excited. She didn't particularly mind the position, but all the blood was rushing to her head and it was uncomfortable.

"Love you Cyn." His smile widened as they reached the dorm room that belonged to him and his nonexistant roommate and she sighed,

"Love you too you goofus of a guy."

"Why thank you, I'm glad you like me the best." He grinned, closing and the locking the door behind them. Before he then kicked off his shoes and unlaced Cynthia's as well and took them off for her before dropping her on his bunk where she laughed and he grinned hovering above her with a goofy grin on his face as he sat back on his heels which were on either side of her lower body. "You're my favorite person as well."

"Shut up and kiss me you goof." She replied with a laugh that turned muffled as the golden blonde boy obeyed her request.


	17. Friends, Not Rivals (Briarfeather)

_Meeting Each other as Friends and not Rivals_

 _Bree, Jay- 20 ½_

 _Leon- 20_

 _Hadara- 21 ½_

Hadara stepped into the gym and stopped in surprise. A woman she knew as Breanna grayas was there, bench pressing with her paralyzed legs in braces that kept them in a certain bent position. "Bree?" She asked, walking over to the girl who jumped and nearly dropped the bar in surprise, Hadara quickly moved to help her but she quickly recovered on her own and lifted it up and away from her throat, setting back in its cradle stand and sitting up, pulling out her light blue earbuds.

"Hi!" She smiled at the blue eyed girl, amber eyes twinkling cheerily. The eighteen-year-old girl was clothed in a light faded orange tank top with the words, "Don't judge me please" written across the front with a smiley face emoji next to it, and light gray yoga pants with "I'm a fighter" written down the sides in orange lettering.

"It is you," Hadara said in surprise, "I didn't expect to see you here Bree."

"I know right?" Bree smiled, revealing white teeth. "Most people think pushing yourself around all the time would be the easiest thing in the world, but it's not! It requires quite a bit of strength."

"I can see that," Hadara eyed the large weights on the bench press bar, "How much can you do?"

"On average?" Bree asked, clipping the magnetic ear buds to the wireless device around her neck, "One hundred to two hundred pounds." She shrugged.

Hadara's blue eyes widened comically, "Seriously?"

"Yup!" Bree grinned happily, leaning forward slightly on her elbows with a smile.

"I can do maybe half that." Hadara laughed, feeling a little bit jealous of the other girl's immense strength.

"That's good! Twenty to fifty is really good!" Bree told her, tucking her dark brown bangs behind her right ear.

"If you can lift that much then how come it doesn't look like you can?"

"You mean why I don't have a lot of muscle mass?" Bree asked, using a medical term, a habit she had picked up from Jay.

"Uh, yeah."

"It's the whole mass to power ratio." She smiled brightly, "I have more power than mass. It doesn't show up on my arms for some reason, it shows on my shoulders, though!"

Hadara reluctantly admitted that her statement was true, Bree did have plenty of muscle there, every time she moved, the shifting in her muscles was in plain sight with a sleeveless top.

"What're you doing here?" Bree asked her with a smile, hiding her slight reluctance and insecurities behind her default nature.

"Not really sure just yet, I figured I should probably exercise. Is Jay with you?" Hadara asked, looking around for the black and gray speckled haired blind boy.

"Yeah, he's over there!" Bree pointed to where her boyfriend was running on a treadmill, racing his golden blonde of a brother, attempting to get the upper hand, "Leon challenged him to a race on the treadmill and being the stubborn goof he is he accepted!" She grinned and called to him, "Doing good Jay!"

"I'm so going to win!" Leon grinned at his brother who gave a competitive growl in response.

"No, you aren't! You're going to ask her if it's the last thing I do before I pass out!" Jay retorted in response.

"What're they betting on?" Hadara asked Bree in confusion, looking down at the younger woman.

"If Jay loses he's banned from ever eating thin mints and cookies in general, while if Leon loses he has to propose to Cynthia."

"That seems a bit unfair," Hadara said a bit worriedly, watching the heavy breathing black and gray speckled haired man.

"Just a little, but Leon's had the ring for weeks and is confusing the heck out of his girlfriend with the secretive and sneaky nature." Bree grinned, "and Jay loves thin mints and cookies in general, it's his favorite dessert."

"Really? I didn't know that." Hadara said in surprise, a bit surprised she hadn't known about that particular detail.

"Yup! How're you and Jackson?" Bree asked with a small smile, "everything going ok?"

"Yeah, everything's decent, been a bit funky with college stuff lately."

"Ah, yeah, college throws everything off doesn't it?" She muses, "It sure likes to mess up people's lives."

"That it does."

"Ugh," Jay muttered, plopping down next to Bree with a grumpy but triumphant look on his face.

"Did you win?" Bree asked him with curiosity, tossing him a white towel, which he rubbed over his face and neck before answering.

"Yes," Yes I did win. Leon fell off the treadmill so I win by default."

"Cool!" Bree smiles and gives him a high-five, "Can't wait to see that happen!"

"And I still get my cookies," Jay smirked happily.

"Hey Jay," Hadara greeted him with a gentle smile.

He stiffened slightly but he responded politely, "Hello Hadara, I hope you're doing well."

"As well as being in college can be." She smiled, "How're you?"

"I'm doing well." He replied curtly and Bree nudged him with her elbow just slightly, nonverbally telling him he was being rude. "I'm sorry," He sighed and stuck his hand out for a handshake, "I'm being a grumpy pain in the-"

"Jay!" Bree interrupted him indignantly, amber eyes disapproving, she made sure her attitude oozed her disapproval.

"Fine, I'm sorry, I was being a grump and it's rude of me. Better?"

"Much better." Bree smiled, her attitude reverting back to her insanely cheerful nature.

"It's ok," Hadara smiled and shook his hand, "I don't mind the rudeness."

"Maybe you don't, but this one is trying to help me with my social skills," Jay said, pointing at Bree who swatted at his hand.

"I'm helping you because you need help!" She retorted and Jay put his hand over her mouth.

"Please excuse her… Ow! Bree don't nip me!" He quickly took his hand away, "And that second action didn't help."

"Well, I would kiss you to make up for it!" Bree smiled, "but we're in a public place and I don't want you uncomfortable!" Hadara started at them in surprise.

' _Did she really just say what I thought she said?'_

"Thank you for taking my feelings into account. That's so nice of you." He rolled his eyes as he spoke.

"You know I love you!" Bree grinned at him, pushing him slightly.

' _Are they a couple?'_ Hadara asked herself as she watched the playful banter.

"Just as much as I do you, yes I am aware my hyper friend." He sighed but visibly perked up as Bree pressed a cheeky and brief kiss to his cheek before Leon came over, looking extremely put out.

"I can't believe you won!" He complained.

"Well I did win, you have to ask her this week," Jay told his brother, turning blind blue eyes on him.

"This week?!" Leon panicked, "How am I going to ask her?!"

"Leon," Bree soothed, "you two already have promise rings so you're nearly engaged anyway, just ask her like you did when you asked her if she'd accept the promise ring, it's not that difficult."

"Yes, it is!" He complained loudly and dug in his basketball shorts' pocket to pull out a small jewelry box, "This thing's burning a hole in my pocket!" What he hadn't noticed was Cynthia was standing behind him in her usual workout gear, light blue tank top, darker gray sweatpants, and dark blue and dark running shoes. She snaked her arms around him from behind and swiped the box from his hands, her silver promise ring glittering on her left hand.

"Hey." She said, before stepping back a few steps and grinning at him, gently tossing the box up and down with a fond but exasperated expression on her face. "Now, am I going to open this and not give you any chance of explaining yourself? Or are you going to explain it to me."

"I'll explain, just let me have it back." He pleaded with his black haired girlfriend, amber eyes wide and alarmed.

"Deal." She tossed him the box back and strode off to one corner of the gym room, Leon hurrying after her.

"You're going to start hinting at me to ask you now aren't you?" Jay sighed to Bree, "You want to be engaged as well right?"

"Starclan no, of course not!" Bree exclaimed, sounding startled and surprised. Jay quickly put one arm around her back, pushing her back up as she nearly fell backward off the bench press in shock. "I'm happy with what stage we're at right now, Leon and Cynthia have been having issues with each other in the romance department since they were eleven years old!" She stretched her now sore arms over her head, "We haven't had that issue at all so no need to rush things."

"Good. I don't want their drama."

"Are you guys… A couple now?" Hadara asked them timidly, feeling a very small amount of hurt at the idea.

"Oh right, you don't know…" Bree said a bit awkwardly, shifting her weight slightly, a modest blush spreading across her cheeks

"Yes. Bree is my girlfriend Hadara." Jay said quite simply with no trace of a blush.

"When did you guys get together?" She asked, forcing out the question, truly curious but also a bit worried about the answer.

"A year or so after you broke up with Jay." Bree admitted, "I made him wait so I wasn't his rebound relationship." She felt like she had to explain why she did that and denied him for so long.

"Oh." Hadara murmured, not sure what to do. Then she realized what she needed to do. Her relationship with Jay was done, she needed to stop holding onto a tendril of hope he'd come back to her, they were friends, nothing more. ' _Besides_ , she reflected, watching Bree playfully ruffle his hair, ' _Bree's good for him, he needs someone like that, who has no off switch and is always looking on the bright side of things.'_ "I'm glad Jay found love again," She smiled at the surprised couple, "Just take good care of him alright Bree?" She said, making eye contact with her ex. love rival now friend.

"I will," Bree assured her, amber eyes filled with determination and happiness. Cynthia came running over and hugged the paralyzed girl tightly, rambling something that nobody besides Bree herself could understand. "Really?! He finally asked you? What did you say?" Bree asked Cynthia in rapid succession in return to the latter's earlier rambling, amber eyes sparkling with joy and happiness for her friend. Cynthia didn't reply verbally, instead offering her right hand to her friend who grinned widely at seeing the bright silver band and hugged the black haired girl tightly, "Yay! You two are finally engaged!" She squealed happily before examining the ring with her, "It's so pretty! Come here Hadara, look at it! Isn't it pretty?!" The cheery girl smiled and beckoned Hadara to help her gush over the ring, wanting to include her friend.

Jay slapped his brother on the back, "Judging from all the happy noise my crazy girlfriend is making, I'm guessing you asked Cynthia and she answered yes?"

"Waiting for her answer was the worst moments of my life." Leon replied to his brother, "But yes after she got over the shock she told me yes." He said, his amber eyes soft and loving, directed at his now fiance while Jay looked in the girl's direction, secretly pleased to know his lover and his ex now a friend, were getting along and he didn't have to deal with any crazy drama like his brother had. "We're both happy, aren't we?" Leon mused to him, "Our drama has settled down for a while."

"That it has. That it has." Jay replied listening to the three girls gush over the small piece of jewelry


	18. A Secret Singing Talent (Cinderblaze)

**I don't own: "If I Die Young" by The Band Perry**

 **or "My Life Would Suck Without You" by Kelly Clarkson :)**

 **Let me know if you all want a few Christmas themed shots!**

 **Snowcrystal of Thunderclan- :D  
Briarfeather! XD I'm thinking of doing a song thing for Bree and Jay as well :) Although, Bree would probably be the one singing, I think "Flashlight" by Jessie J (Pitch Perfect 2) is a good choice, what's your opinion?**

 **Unicorn brownies- Yay what?! *Seriously confused***

 _Secret Singing Talent? Very Slight AU_

 _(There are a few variable changes :) Like Cynthia being a youtube singer :D Personally I actually like this version better :)_

 _Cynthia, Leon, Isa- 17_

 _Holly, Jay, Bree- 17 ½_

 _Haliah, Paige, Brendon- 18_

Haliah froze hearing singing coming from her younger sister's room.

" _A penny for my thoughts, oh no I'll sell them for a dollar_

 _They're worth so much more after I'm a goner_

 _And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singin'_

 _Funny when you're dead how people start listenin'"_

Haliah crept closer, carefully and silently pushing open her sister's door to see who was singing the familiar song she knew was 'If I die young' by a band she didn't listen that often to.

" _If I die young bury me in satin_

 _Lay me down on a bed of roses_

 _Sink me in the river at dawn_

 _Send me away with the words of a love song_

 _Uh oh uh oh,"_

She stared at her sister who was sitting at her desk, working on what looked like homework, tapping her foot to the beat of the song she was currently singing in a medium volume. Haliah had no idea that her athlete of a sister could sing, and sing that well, everyone knew Cynthia loved sports, but she constantly denied having any ability music related, saying she sounded like a dying cat. But with the way she was singing Haliah seriously doubted it, Cynthia sounded more like a choir singer than a dying cat, she was really good.

" _The ballad of a dove_

 _Go with peace and love_

 _Gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket_

 _Save 'em for a time when your really gonna need 'em oh_

 _The sharp knife of a short life,_

 _Well I've had just enough time_

 _So put on your best boys, and I'll wear my pearls,"_

Haliah gently closed the door as Cynthia finished and spoke in her normal voice, "Ugh! I got this same stupid problem wrong again!" Haliah giggled softly at the remark as she went to her room, no doubt her younger sister was working on math homework, her most hated subject. Sitting at her desk a idea popped into mind, last week she had hosted a fundraiser for the graduating high school students that were going to to graduate alongside her and had promised she would get someone to sing for them. Asking her sister would be free and wouldn't cost a ridiculous amount of money, maybe, just maybe, she could get Cynthia to do it. The scheduled date was in a few weeks, plenty of time to convince her. Getting to work on her multitude of homework she thought of ways to convince her

:) :)

The first thing she tried was the direct approach, "Cindy, I want you to sing at the fundraiser reward assembly."

"What!" Cynthia yelled in surprise, "I'm not singing for you Haliah!" She stumbled backward and tripped over the couch, falling flat to the floor.

Her sister pleaded, "Please! You're really good Cindy! We can't disappoint all those people who helped raise that money! They want to see someone sing and I want you to do it!"

"No! I'm not singing for you!" Cynthia insisted, "You can't change my mind!" She fled the room up to her room, disappointed in her inability to keep her talent under wraps

:( :(

Cynthia froze, hoping she wasn't seeing what she was seeing. Quickly dropping her basketball bag and the ball itself she turned and ran blindly, weaving through the hallways and escaping out into the school courtyard with her eyes squeezed shut. The image of Isa and Leon kissing playing in her mind like it was on repeat. ' _How could you Leon! How could you!'_ She heard Holly call her name but didn't react, choosing to instead flee towards the woods and jump into a tree before bringing her knees to her chest and starting to cry, feeling remarkably hurt and heartbroken.

:( :( :(

Leon shoved Isa away, "Why'd you do that?! You know I like Cynthia!"

"What?" Isa asked innocently, "I didn't know, sorry."

"Whatever, just don't do it again." Leon muttered, going over to pick up his best friend's stuff.

"Okay," Isa smiled, fully intending to do it again.

:( :( :(

Cynthia blinked a few times, making sure she wasn't hallucinating and that Leon and Isa were kissing once again for the tenth time that week.-she'd been keeping track- Her heart plummeted to her feet and she didn't let them see the tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, "Oh. Maybe another time Leon, you... seem busy." She then turned on her heel and started speed walking away, making up her mind, she needed something to distract her and get rid of the hurt she was feeling. Pulling out her phone she took a deep breath and pressed call on one of her contacts. "Haliah?" she called her sister, blue eyes glistening with restrained and hurt tears, "I'll sing for you in the fundraiser."

"What made you change your mind?" Haliah asked her sister from where she was walking home with Paige and Brendon, excitement and concern coloring her tone.

"Nothing, I'll write something for you and I'll sing it like you want me to," Cynthia's voice was clogged with her hurt.

:( :(

"Stop doing that!" Leon growled, shoving Isa away once again, "Stop kissing me! That's reserved for someone besides you!"

"Sorry," Isa apologized meekly, not really sorry. She wanted to have Leon, if kissing him made Cynthia uncomfortable and hurt then she'd do it for two reasons, one, because she enjoyed it, and two, because it would get Cynthia out of the race for Leon's attention.

:( :(

Cynthia flinched violently when Leon tried to link their hands the next day when they were walking to school. She put both her hands into her coat pockets, rejecting his actions and refusing to get herself any deeper into the mess she was caught in.

"Cyn, what's wrong?" Leon asked her, hurt filling his tone. He didn't understand what was going on and why she flinched when he had touched her, they had been friends with benefits for a year now and he loved it more than anything. She never rejected the action of holding hands, usually she would lace her fingers with his and walk closer with him, sometimes putting her head on his shoulder.

"Nothing Leon." She replied quietly, "I'm not in the mood right now." She turned away from him and after spotting his sister Holly walking along the other side of the road murmured, "I'm going to walk with Holly. I'm going with Haliah and Paige after school, have a good day Leon, I won't be able to come to practice," and moved to go walk with his sister.

"What? Cyn, please tell me what's wrong!" Leon carefully grasped her upper arm and turned her towards him, hurt and confusion glimmering in his amber eyes. He was alarmed, being around him usually made her relax and be funny and laid back. If she wasn't in the mood something had to be bothering her.

"It's nothing, Leon."

"Oh really?" He leaned closer to her and Cynthia leaned back, not allowing him to close the distance even an inch. "You're never like this, every time I touch you-you flinch like I hit you, you aren't coming to practices anymore, and I know your grades are slipping, Holly told me they are." He searched her face for any clue of why she was acting this way. "I don't understand…"

"I'm not feeling too great okay? I'll be ok. I promise." Despite how much she seriously didn't want to do it right now, she leaned forward and closed the gap between them, her heart breaking even more at the usually warm and loving contact, now tainted and dirty. She broke it a second later and shrugged off his hand, taking a few steps back, blue eyes glimmering with many hidden emotions. "I haven't spent much time with Holly nor my sisters, and I really need to spend time with them."

"But you promised you'd tutor me in English today!" Leon told her and Cynthia didn't even twitch.

"It never happens Leon." She said flatly, "We're always interrupted and I leave being second best. When you actually want me to help you and not be a witness of your kissing, give me a call alright? I have other responsibilities besides being at your side twenty-four seven. Goodbye Leon." With those hurtful and dismissive words she turned on her heel and ran over to Holly, who slowed down as she approached, not asking what was wrong, knowing she would tell her when she was good and ready.

"But!-" Leon cut himself off and watched her go, slowing to a stop, amber eyes clouding over with hurt and concern.

:( :( :(

Staring blankly ahead of her Cynthia focused on mixing the beat for the song she would write, her fingers pressing the different small keys at a funny speed before stopping completely as a spark lit in her mind. Settling her fingers on the keys and closing her eyes she opened her mouth to breathe a slow breath before awkwardly singing potential lyrics to the chorus, "Cause we belong together now, yeah!" As she went on her voice grew confident, volume staying the same and her fingers pressed the DJ mixing pad's keys to the beat she wanted to go with the lyrics. "Forever united here somehow, yeah! You got a piece of me! and Honestly! My life, my life, would suck, would suck, without you!" And that's how it went for about an hour, playing with the lyrics and the beat until she was satisfied with it.

"Hey," Haliah made her sister jump and knock her mixing pad down to the carpeted floor. Cynthia looked at her wide eyed before she calmed down and picked up her mixing pad before getting to her feet and pushing things away from the front of her closet.

"Hey, did you need something?" Cynthia asked, moving further into the closet.

"Yeah, I know someone who has a guitar and a drum set, would you like me to ask them if I can borrow them?"

"No," Cynthia's voice was muffled as she walked further into the walk-in closet, "I have all the stuff I need."

"What? How?" Haliah curiously walked over to her sister's closet and her jaw dropped. With a lot of her stuff over at Holly's where she lived during the week and some weekends, Cynthia had a ton of room in the closet, meaning she had outfitted the back to be what looked like a music room with a randomly placed hanging basketball hoop near a trashcan with a lot of crumpled up paper inside.

"Welcome to my music plaza." Cynthia speaks dramatically, casually brushing off the foam padding on the walls.

"How long… have you been singing Cindy?" She asked in awe, the decently sized but cramped room was amazing to her standards. The walls were padded with thin sound absorbing different shades of blue foam, a silver and blue drum set was tucked snugly into the back left corner, an amp was tucked into the opposite corner with a light blue electric guitar resting in a guitar stand, looking shiny and brand new. There were a few other instruments, the bass guitar of the same color, and a grey and white electric keyboard was near it all. There was a small flat screen that Haliah vaguely recognized on one wall with a thin table underneath it, a small wireless microphone headset lying on it with a ELMO next to it.

"Since I was six." Cynthia admitted with a light blush, "Only mom and dad know I like to sing, they're the ones who helped me put this together."

"I recognize some of this stuff…"

"Some of it's Miles'." Cynthia told her, blue eyes calm, "I wanted to keep a few things in reminder of him. He loved my music and I cobbled up lullabies when we were little, I used to sing them to him and myself when I couldn't sleep. I created this with the promise I would keep making music for Miles. Every year I write something for him and put a copy into a stuffed animal that would sing it if you pressed one of the paws. After I put the toy with his grave I usually record an audio recording and post it on youtube."

"Wait, that's you?!" Haliah's blue eyes widened in surprise, with her sudden hunch that Cynthia was the famous YouTuber called MysterySinger who uploaded recordings of her own original songs and requests to sing other bands songs, she never revealed who she was and preferred to have a cover of the song in question instead of actually seeing her face. There were a few Q and A videos but Haliah never made the connection. MysterySinger was also one of Haliah's favorite YouTubers, definitely her top favorite in the music department.

Cynthia nodded sadly, "Yeah, I'm MysterySinger, you're favorite YouTuber." A smile pulled at the corners of her lips, "You have no idea how frustrated I was when you say you want to meet her, when really she's been here the entire time, just underneath your nose."

"Prove it." Haliah challenged, eager to really see if it really was her sister.

"Okay, what do you want to hear?" Cynthia was calm and confident, knowing full well that she was the YouTuber.

"How about teenage Dream by MysterySinger."

"One of my originals? Alright then." Cynthia scooped up the mic headset and took a seat behind her electric keyboard, as she fiddled with the synthesizing settings on it she spoke to Haliah, "There's a chair next to that table if you want to sit down." Haliah took the offered seat and waited for her sister who cleared her throat before turning on the mic and setting her fingers down on the keys and started playing, the keys synthesized and matching the audio recording perfectly, "You think I'm pretty, without any makeup on, you think I'm funny, when I tell the punchline wrong, I know you get me, so I'll let my walls come down, down." Cynthia sang in the high pitch, playing and singing with her eyes closed.

"Before you met me, I alright, but things were kinda heavy, you brought me to life, now every February, you'll be my valentine, valentine.

Let's go all the way tonight, no regrets, just love.

We can dance until we die, you and I, we'll be young forever!" Cynthia's volume rose as she reached the chorus.

"You make me, feeling like I'm living a, teenage dream, the way you turn me on, I can't, sleep, Let's runaway and don't ever look back, don't ever look back! My, heart, stops when you look at me, Just, one, touch, now baby I believe, this, is real, so take a chance and don't ever look back, don't ever look back!"

Haliah watched her sister in surprise and partial awe, she was definitely MysterySinger, she played and sung it exactly like her.

"We drove to Cali, and got drunk on the beach, got a motel and, built a fort out of sheets, I finally found you, my missing puzzle piece, I'm complete! Let's go all the way tonight, no regrets, just love, we can dance until we die, you and I, we'll be young forever!" Cynthia held the last note for a few moments.

"That's enough, I believe you Cindy!" Haliah exclaimed, interrupting her and her sister opened her eyes and stopped both singing and playing. "That was amazing!" She squealed, emerald green eyes glimmering happily.

Cynthia smiled, "I'm glad you believe me." She got up and moved over to the drum set, picking up the drumsticks, "But I really need to get the instrumental for this song done if I'm going to get it done in time," her smile weakens, "Gotta get to work now Hals, I'm glad you like this place."

Haliah smiled as her sister before obediently leaving while Cynthia closed her eyes, a few tears dripping down onto her jeans as she played the song in her head, cross sticking for a few seconds before crashing the symbol and starting the song, keeping the vocals to herself and playing the drum part of the song, all the while remembering why she choose this in particular beat and set of lyrics.

:( :( :( :(

Haliah snuck into her sister's room and watched her sister tap the ends of her drumsticks together, blue eyes closed. Haliah's green eyes widened further as her sister opened her mouth and actually started singing the lyrics that Haliah hadn't heard at all just yet and started the drums, her voice a little hard to hear over the sound of the percussion instrument. "Guess this means you're sorry, you're standing at my door, guess this means you take back all you said before, like how much you wanted, anyone but me, said you'd never come back, but here you are again.." drumming on the closed high-hat for a few moments she then crashed two different cymbals and started what sounded like the chorus. Haliah caught the shimmering of tear tracks on her sister's cheeks as she sung, obviously pouring her heart into the music. Haliah went back to her room, more worried about her sister than ever.

:( :(

After a week of adding the finishing touches to the song, skipping every sport practice she had, basketball, swimming, soccer, and baseball, her heart being turned into a pile of broken shards, and dealing with seeing Leon and Isa kissing for the first half of the week after school, it was finally time for Cynthia to reveal her secret and sing for Haliah's fundraiser. Cynthia scribbled out a few things on a piece of paper before tucking it into her pocket.

"Cynthia, Haliah" Firen came and told her, green eyes gleaming cheerfully, "It's time to start." The two sisters made eye contact, saying they were both ready.

Haliah went up onto the stage first, "Hey everyone!" She smiled, speaking through a mic. "I got someone to sing for us!" The school cheered, "I tracked down MysterySinger, the famous YouTuber and got her to come sing to us!" The students roared, everyone excited. "Everyone! Meet the MysterySinger! , my sister Cynthia Lawson!"

Cynthia ran and jumped onto the stage with a backflip, landing perfectly and straightening up, "You think I'm pretty without my make-up on, you think I'm funny when I tell the punchline wrong," She sang before speaking normally, "Hello Warriors High!" She had a wireless mic, blue eyes gleaming happily.

"The MysterySinger is Cindy?!" Holly asked in shocked surprise.

"Yay! Cindy!" Bree cheered, believing it right away.

"What?" Leon stared at his best friend, shocked to the core.

"She has graciously agreed to sing to us, letting us get a first hand viewing of her latest song, My Life Would Suck Without You! Written just for us!" Haliah grinned at the loud cheering and continued, "Without a further of a do, MysterySinger!" She took a step back and disappeared off the stage.

"Hey guys!" Cynthia smiled, "I bet most of you are shocked right? Yeah well I can say I'm definitely the Mystery Singer, nobody else can match that voice crack in the recording of Teenage Dream, definitely embarrassing. Anyway, thank you Haliah for letting me come sing to you all! I do hope you all pitch in to help these guys get to college! Let's get to the music shall we? Here we go, I wrote this song this week and it's called, My Life Would Suck Without You!"

The intro music started and Cynthia took a deep breath and listened for her cue, blue eyes finding Leon and feeling a sharp sting in her heart as she started singing,

"Guess this means you're sorry,

You're standing at my door

Guess this means you take back

all you said before.

Like how much you wanted  
Anyone but me," ' _Such as liking Isa and Hannah.'_  
Said you'd never come back  
But here you are again."

She made eye contact with Leon before lifting her eyes towards the ceiling as the chorus started, singing with her shattered heart rather than her mind.

"'Cause we belong together now, yeah," She walked to one side as she sang,  
"Forever united here somehow, yeah." She gestured around the room before looking confused, "You got a piece of me," She pointed to herself  
"And honestly  
My life (my life) would suck (would suck) without you!" She held the last note out for a moment, signaling the chorus was over. ' _Now I can only hope this gets through Leon's hard head, I'm sorry Leon.'_ She thought as she threw herself into the second verse.  
"Maybe I was stupid  
For telling you goodbye," She didn't move besides locking eyes with Leon, blue eyes glittering with an apology only he could see, ' _I'm really sorry for being stupid,'_  
"Maybe I was wrong  
For tryin' to pick a fight," ' _and It's so tempting to deliver a good punch to Isa's nose,'_  
"I know that I've got issues  
But you're pretty messed up too," ' _but despite how screwed up our relationship is,_  
"Either way I found out I'm nothing without you," ' _I love you.'_  
"'Cause we belong together now, yeah  
Forever united here somehow, yeah  
You got a piece of me  
And honestly  
My life (my life) would suck (would suck) without you,"  
"Being with you is so dysfunctional," ' _Our relationship is so confusing,"_  
"I really shouldn't miss you," ' _and I really shouldn't keep trying,'_

"But I can't let you go," ' _But I can't let you go.'_

"Oh, yeah," As the music played Cynthia tried to show him what she was trying to say, ' _I can't let you go, but I can't try any harder or go any further, you have to meet me halfway Leon. Please, please meet me there.'_

"'Cause we belong together now, (yeah yeah)" Cynthia squeezed her eyes shut for the last repeat of the chorus, feeling like her heart was stabbing at her chest.

"Forever united here somehow, yeah

You got a piece of me

And honestly

My life (my life) would suck (would suck) without you," Cynthia opened her eyes and pointed directly at Leon, who's amber eyes widened at the singling out,  
"'Cause we belong together now, yeah

Forever united here somehow, yeah

You got a piece of me

And honestly

My life (my life) would suck (would suck) without you!"

She ended the song, ' _My life would suck without you Leon.'_ While everyone cheered loudly and she took a few deep breaths, smiling, "Have a great weekend everyone!" The bell rang and the students started flooding out while she disappeared backstage and grabbed her water bottle, starting to rapidly drink it to get rid of the scratchiness of her throat. Leon slipped backstage and got behind her, quietly waiting till she finished before spinning her around and kissing her soundly. Cynthia's blue eyes widen before they slid closed and she temporarily relaxed into the contact, before stiffening and pushing him back, "Did you need something besides kissing me?"

"Yes actually." He leant closer to her, his arms still looped around her waist, keeping her close to him, "My life would suck without you Cynthia," He breathed softly, amber eyes soft and gentle.

"What about Isa?" She asked in a soft whisper, blue eyes searching to find sincerity in his face.

"Isa? I fixed that on Monday." Leon told her, "I had no idea why she kept kissing me, I'm sorry." His amber eyes were gentle and glinted with love, "I love you too Cyn."

"You don't know how long I've been waiting to hear that," Cynthia breathed, blue eyes starting to sparkle.

"I've always loved you, it just took a while to get through my thick skull." He smiled gently, leaning closer and Cynthia titled her head up as a way to show her acceptance.

 _ **This took four hours to write! XD I hope you all like it! I love it personally and might write a Spinoff with Leon singing "She Only Loves Me When I'm There" Directed at Hannah :) I'm seriously tempted to write a Story for this world XD Same with my Infected Realm world :)**_


	19. Singing Talent (Briarfeather)

_**Echo in the Whispering Wind- Writing these Character descriptions? Crap! I forgot to fix their middle names! Blargh! I'll go fix that in a second. Writing all of these took about three hours and nearly falling asleep a few times XD**_

 _ **Come on, I'm sure your Briarfeather is just as good! I'm flattered that you think so highly of it! XD**_

 _ **Yeah, a lot of people say that :) This chapter, in particular, was just a random thing I wrote and decided to post! :) I know! That's really weird! But you know what's weirder?! People writing fanfictions of Briarlight being Sleeping Beauty! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! XD**_

 _ **A few of these are also in Warriors Human Short Stories, hence the WHS in the title! :D**_

 _ **I think I'm going to have to rearrange it! *Sweatdrops* Everyone likes that chapter more than the others! XD  
Sadness... but it's fixed later! :D**_

 _ **Yay! I'm glad you like it! I don't mind if you review every chapter :) It tells me you like my stories! I like the emails, they let me know who's reviewing and still likes my story! Snowcrystal of Thunderclan reviews just as much as you do and that's okay! I love the reviews! :D :D :D :D :D**_

 _ **I'm glad you like it that much! I love that chapter too!**_

 _ **:) :) :) :)**_

 _ **Willow of Ancient Souls- Another Briarfeather fan! YAY! DO you think them as cats and humans? Or just humans? The ships have caught a breeze and are sailing strong!**_

 _ **I can take that small detail out if you want :) He's shirtless because he's a golden-haired dork and complains about overheating all the time :) In that world, in particular, Leon doesn't like wearing a shirt, I have no idea why, but he complains, whines, and gripes about having to wear one while he's in the dorm or asleep.**_

 _ **Harry is Harespring :) The reason it's not Breezepelt is because I like pairing him with Ivypool (Ivory)**_

 _ **ha ha ha! I forgot I had put that in there! That is pretty funny! :D**_

 _ **Jay. Is. Blinder. Than. A. Bat. And I don't mean literally! While he is literally blind he is super blind to his best friend's major crush and quiet subtle hints XD**_

 _ **Yes, yes I do. I love Cinderblaze WAY too much! It's my favorite Warriors shipping! :D I love it so much! Briarfeather is closely behind at second favorite :)**_

 _ **I was in the mood for fluff while testing the apocalypse waters :) I totally cracked up at the "Better go buy another pillow. Sigh..." Love it! and I'm an unfortunate person who's a sucker for fluff and romance in general! :) Sometimes it is too good to read! :D**_

 _ **I'm glad you like this chapter! I have more of these song ones on my other story! :D You're welcome to read it!**_

 _ **Briarfeather and Cinderblaze! Hooray! XD, I'm such a weirdo... Anyway, glad you like the ending! I had to do something with Leon so I decided that was what I was going to do! It just popped into my head! XD**_

 _Bree sings Flashlight (Hailee Steinfield lyrics Pitch perfect 2)_

 _Bree, Jay, Holly- 17 ½_

 ** _This one is on Warrior Human Short Stories but I couldn't resist putting this one on this story too, it's so cute! If you like this style of writing there are currently eight singing short stories on my other story :)_**

Bree's pencil stilled as she reached across her desk for her phone, barely managing to reach the bottom of the device with her fingertips. "Come on! Get over here!" She reached farther and slipped, pressing the answer button on her phone and crashing to the floor. "Ow! Ugh, Hello?!" It took her a few tries before she managed to heave herself back onto her chair and groan with dismay, seeing the large streak across her perfect set of lyrics. Quickly setting the phone on speaker she got to work erasing the streak without ruining her lyrics.

"Hey Bree," Holly's voice filtered through the device, "Is Jay there?"

"Nope! He left over an hour ago, something wrong?" Bree asked, rewriting the ruined lines and ruining them again as her pencil clattered out of her hand at Holly's next words.

"He's not here," Holly said, worry lacing her tone, "He isn't answering his phone either."

"Are you sure? Never mind, I'm sure you're sure. I'll go look for him, he can't be too far away. Gotta go, Holly, I'll bring Jay with me." Bree said, ending the call and heaving herself into her wheelchair before taking off out of her room, down the hall, and speeding down the ramp covered stairs. ' _Are you still upset Jay?'_ She wondered as she darted out of her house, pushing the wheels of her chair as fast as she could, ' _I bet you're still upset about Hadara and Jackson… where would you be?… I'm an idiot.'_ She stopped dead in her tracks and turned around, starting towards the woods, ' _You always go into the woods where nobody would follow you. Or so you thought.'_

:) :) :)

After struggling through the rough terrain and low hanging branches Bree reached a clearing where she found her best friend sitting stiffly on the green grass, fingers plucking the thin blades, shoulders hunched. ' _Oh, Jay…'_ She thought, feeling an overwhelming amount of concern and empathy for her friend as she looked at his defeated looking form. ' _Everyone forgets you have feelings behind that grumpy wall, they forget your just like we are…'_ Quietly rolling over to him she eased herself out of the chair and to the ground, managing to sit next to him with her legs stretched out in front of her, "Jay? Are you okay?" She quietly asked him, amber eyes concerned and worried.

"Course I'm okay." He grunted, "I'm fine."

"Please don't lie to me," She pleaded with him, "I don't want to fight, I just want my friend happy again." She cautiously put one hand on his upper arm, "Tell me what's wrong Jay."

"I'm fine Bree." He grunted, shrugging off her hand, "What makes you think I'm not okay?"

"Your defeated body language, miserable attitude, and it shows in your eyes, you look tormented and miserable." She replied with gentle bluntness, making sure not to sugar coat it for her temperamental friend.

He stiffened and looked about to lash out at her before the teen sighed and hunched his shoulders some more, "Alright fine, you're right. As usual. I'm not okay." He relented, blind blue eyes gazing blankly in front of him.

"Are you still upset about Hadara and Jackson?" She asked carefully, leaning forward on her arms so she could see his face, "it wasn't your fault it fell apart."

Jay's hands clenched around fistfuls of the green grass, "yes it was, if I had paid more attention to her then she wouldn't have left me for the guy who supposedly could be my identical twin and even acts similar to I do."

"You don't look like Jackson," Bree told him quietly, speaking like she always did, speaking what she believed was true. "Jackson looks almost stretched height wise, he looks a bit disproportionate, the gray in his hair is a lot less and is darker, almost like he dyed it, his eyes are a different shade of blue than your clear sky blue ones, his doesn't have the faint light gray flecks your eyes have, he has a boxy jaw, more like your brother and isn't built like the twig my best friend is." She smiled, affectionately bumping her shoulder against his. "Jackson's less sarcastic and more boring and obnoxious, you aren't like Jackson."

"I can't tell if that's a good thing or a bad thing." He grunted bitterly, "Those differences everyone else seems to prefer."

"I don't." Bree admitted and Jay stiffened in surprise, but the amber eyed girl wasn't looking at him, she was gazing quietly at the trees in front of them, "I like your grumpy attitude, it's different from everyone else's, your sarcasm is hilarious, always makes me laugh, the gray in your hair is probably from sticking around me all the time so I don't mind it, it makes you more unique and special. Just because you can't look in a mirror and see yourself doesn't mean I can't see you. I see a guy who's sometimes really lonely with issues of being bullied and has beautiful blue eyes that express his annoyance or amusement at either my attitude or Brendon's arrogance. He's the perfect height for my sorry butt being stuck in a wheelchair all the time and I don't have to look up awkwardly to see his face; he's grumpy like a storm cloud with a wit like lightning to defend himself and make everyone else laugh themselves silly. I see someone who may be skinny but is stronger than he looks and has black hair that repeatedly gets in his eyes every day and because of that I have an excuse to push it out of the way so I can see the freckles lining his nose and under his blue eyes."

She looked over at him with a gentle smile that she knew he couldn't see, "I can see you Jay, and that's what really matters if Hadara can't see who you really are then it's her fault, not yours. You shouldn't have to change to make someone else happy, they should be happy with the person you are." She reached over and placed one hand against where his heart was, "If I'm the only one who can see the secretly lonely and cuddly teddy bear with many defenses then so be it, I'll help the rest of the world see the real person you are." Her amber eyes searched his blue ones, "The relationship falling apart wasn't your fault, it never was and it never will be. Hadara couldn't see what I can see in you, that's why it failed, not because you weren't good enough but because she couldn't completely see you."

Jay turned his head towards her direction, feeling shocked and surprised at the way she described him to himself, but in the way she saw him. "That's really how you see… me?" He asked quietly, unsure if that's really what she saw or she was joking with him.

"Yes, that's exactly how I see you." Bree smiled at him. She looked up at the sky, noticing the sky starting to change colors. "The sun's setting." She commented, moving her arm back to her side.

"Really? I can totally see that." He drawled, rolling his blue eyes and making her giggle before she softly cleared her throat and started singing as inspiration hit her, using the tiny bit of non-ruined lyrics from earlier she started throwing other parts in to create a song.

" _ **When tomorrow comes  
I'll be on my own  
Feeling frightened of  
The things that I don't know  
When tomorrow comes  
Tomorrow comes  
When Tomorrow comes**_

 _ **And though the road is long  
I look up to the sky  
Darkness all around, no hope that I could fly  
Then I sing along, I sing along, then I sing along,"**_ She sang strongly, leaning back on her arms, closing her eyes and tilting her head up slightly. Jay listened to her song, keeping completely quiet as she sang, looking for the hidden meaning inside.

" _ **I got all I need when I got you and I**_

' _ **Cause I look around me, and see a sweet life!  
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight,  
You're getting me, getting me, through the night!  
Kick start my heart when you shine it in my eyes  
Can't lie, it's a sweet life,  
Stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight!  
You're getting me, getting me, through the night!  
You're my flashlight!  
You're my flashlight! **_

_**You're my flashlight!  
Ooh…"**_ She sang, not noticing Jay's intent listening as he leaned back on his arms as well, blind blue eyes focused on her face, even if he couldn't see her.

" _ **I see the shadows long beneath the mountain top  
But I'm not afraid when the rain won't stop.**_

 _ **'Cause you light the way,  
You light the way,  
You light the way,**_

 _ **I got all I need when I got you and I  
I look around me, and see a sweet life  
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight  
You're getting me, getting me, through the night  
Kick start my heart when you shine it in my eyes,  
Can't lie, it's a sweet life!**_

 _ **Stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight,  
You're getting me, getting me, through the night!  
Light, light, light, you're my flashlight  
Light, light, light and you can't deny **_

_**With you it's a sweet life, life, life"**_ Bree sang, opening her eyes with a start when Jay moved closer to her, silently offering her his shoulder. With a smile, he couldn't see she kept singing but turned slightly and shifted closer to him.

" _ **I got all I need when I got you and I  
I look around me, and see a sweet life  
I'm stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight!  
You're getting me, getting me, through the night!  
Kick start my heart when you shine it in my eyes  
Can't lie, it's a sweet life!  
Stuck in the dark but you're my flashlight!  
You're getting me, getting me through the night,  
You're my flashlight!  
You're my flashlight!  
You're my flashlight!**_

 _ **Ooh"**_ As she started singing the last part she laid her head on his shoulder, amber eyes fixed on the orange, yellows, and pinks of the setting sun peeking through the many trees.

" _ **You're my flashlight,  
You're my flashlight,  
You're my flashlight ooh."**_ She finished and Jay discreetly tilted his head to be resting on top of hers. Remembering about Holly being worried about her brother she silently texted the other girl. _*Jay's with me, I'll bring him home after he feels better.*_ She then turned off the device and tucked it back into her pocket, content to stay in the position she was in forever. Her amber eyes slid half way closed from contentment and she could feel Jay's vocal cords vibrating as he spoke.

"Thank you." He murmured quietly.

"I'm always there for you Jay." She promised in a quiet voice, looking up at him.

"I know," He responded, surprising her by taking one of her hands and lacing their fingers in a thankful sort of way. Bree returned the gentle grip, wishing she could stay like this forever, Jay showing affection for her alone and quietly sitting there temporarily dis attached from all the crazy drama they went through.

 _ **Can I just say I love this one?! *Squeal!* I love it! :)**_


	20. Jealousy Wait what?

_**Snowcrystal of Thunderclan- XD I couldn't resist!**_

 _ **Tumblebreeze- That chapter is cute! It's one of my favorite Briarfeather ones :)**_

 _ **The Wilting Willow(The Willow of Ancient Souls)- okay cool! That's a really good idea actually! Having two accounts, one for reviewing, one for writing! Human Briarfeather fluff! :D**_

 _ **I'm glad you like it! Bree develops a trademark of running over Brendon's feet XD**_

 _ **:)**_

 _ **Cuteness! XD**_

 _ **XD Cynthia despises the snow now XD Okie Dokie Wilting Willow! I like your name :) Wilting Willow :) The tiny details right? XD**_

 _ **I know… I'm sad that I wrote that :(**_

 _ **I know right?! Friends with benefits Cinderblaze! :D**_

 _ **Well, this story is designed for Fluff and Mush! :D :) :) :D I'm glad you like it so much!**_

 _ **(While I'm replying to your reviews Echo in the Whispering Wind, for the review for Warriors Compilation- Yeah, :) It's from the human warriors thing :) I meant to ask if I should write a story in that world :) where the characters like to sing but keep it away from each other :) )**_

 _ **Unicorn Brownies- I know right? XD, I reread all of these all the time! XD**_

 _Jealousy…Wait What?!_

 _Briarfeather_

 _Bree, Jay- 16_

 _Cynthia- 15_

 _Hadara- 17_

Bree's heart was in her throat as she watched and listened to Jay and Hadara chat animatedly while holding hands. She was rolling behind them, lagging a few feet behind them, trying to be happy for her friend who she cared a lot about. The urge to interrupt them or leave was quite strong and tempting, she knew many other ways to their math class and could easily leave both her best friend and his girlfriend alone and all to themselves, but she didn't want to leave Jay who she knew was very awkward when he was completely alone with another girl beside herself and couldn't bear to leave her friend floundering without his confidence and make a fool of himself. Plus, she needed to protect him from Brendon who had learned not to bother Jay when she was around after she had purposely rolled over his foot many times two years ago. Luckily the hallway was mostly deserted so she didn't have to keep up the cheerful attitude when she felt glum and unhappy at the moment. ' _I wonder if that nudge years ago was a good idea. It was at the time, but now… I can't help but wonder if it would be different.'_

"Bree?" Jay's voice startled her out of her thoughts and she realized he was looking in her direction, eyebrows pinching together in slight worry, "Did you hear what Hadara asked you?"

"Oh! Sorry, was thinking!" Bree smiled wide teeth-filled smile at the couple, the smile not quite reaching her eyes at the moment, "Go ahead and ask again, I'm listening to you this time Hadara!" She chirped in a happy tone.

"Well I was wondering if you'd like to come with Jay and me to the waterfall this weekend," Hadara smiled at the other girl, "Jay mentioned you like the sound of rushing water, so I was curious if you'd like to go."

Bree didn't hesitate in her answer, "Sure! I'd love to! But I'm busy this weekend!" She added, catching the flash of disappointment in the blue-eyed girl's eyes, "got lots of stuff to do!" She raked her brain for anything she needed to do that would give her a decent excuse so Hadara would get the alone time with Jay she wanted. Then she remembered that exams were coming up soon. "Like studying for my history exam Blegh!" She made a disgusted face, "I keep falling asleep and missing things!" She chirped, "so you two have fun together okay?!" She smiled, forcing away the reluctance she was feeling and masking the small amount of anger she was feeling towards Hadara. "Well, we're here Jay! Bye Hadara!" She chirped and started into the classroom, Jay right behind her.

"What's wrong with you?" Jay asked her in a hissing whisper as they took their seats near the front of the class, right next to each other. "I know you don't have to study for history, you've never studied for that subject in your life." He hissed.

"She wants to spend time with you alone!" Bree replied in an exasperated whisper, "and I'm doing a college level history class remember? It's a lot harder!"

"Maybe, but you've never had to study before," Jay grunted.

"Well, maybe it's time I do!" She chirped as she rolled her eyes, "Just be yourself and you'll be fine!"

"I'm not worried about being alone with her."

"Then we're good then!" Bree chirped, taking out her notebook and starting to answer the warm-up question on the board, ' _Factor three x squared plus four x plus one, completely. Easy peasy!'_

:) :) :)

"... I just don't like her!" Bree complained to Cynthia as they walked together on the way home from school. "And I have no clue why!"

"Bree," Cynthia laughed, living with Holly, Leon, and Jay, meant she lived a few houses away from the paralyzed teen. "You might be feeling jealous." She told her, "What you're describing to me is just like how I don't really like Hannah or Isa, because why? I'm jealous of both of them."

"Jealous?!" Bree asked, amber eyes widening drastically, "What?! No, I can't be jealous of Hadara!"

"Why not?" Cynthia looked down at her, blue eyes a little amused, "Everyone feels jealousy sometimes, whether it's about someone beating you in something or someone getting to be with your crush while you can't or aren't."

"Because Hadara's a really nice person! And she makes Jay happy! So I can't be jealous of her!" Bree exclaimed, "so I can't be jealous!"

"Just take it into account Bree," Cynthia tells her she as they go their separate ways, "cause that's what it sounds like. Have fun, remember the whole movie thing we're doing with my sisters and Holly later today."

"I will! Have a good day Cindy! Good luck at your basketball game!" Bree chirped back to her, distracted with her thoughts as she wished her friend goodbye and continued towards her house. ' _I can't be jealous… can I?'_

:) :) :)

Bree trailed behind Hadara and Jay once again, deep in thought. ' _So I'm feeling jealous…'_ She thought gloomily, her gaze fixed distantly on Hadara and Jay's clasped hands. ' _That's why I don't like her, but what can I do about it? The jealousy I mean, it's not Hadara's fault Jay likes her, and it's not his fault he likes her, so what can I do about it?'_

"Bree?" Jay's voice startled her once again.

"Yes, Jay?!" Bree asked enthusiastically, as enthusiastic as ever and masking her turmoil.

"You alright? You're spacing out over there." Hadara said quietly.

"Just thinking about some stuff!" Bree smiles, "I'm all good!"

"Okay, only if you're sure."

"Bree." Jay's blind eyes were looking in her direction and Bree quickly made sure her mind was hidden from him, "Are you sure you're okay?" He asked, showing rare concern for his friend.

"Yep! Just working some stuff out!" Bree smiles, "My brain is being annoying!"

"If you say so," He rolled his eyes, "I'll see you in art later." He promised before walking away with Hadara.

"Okay! Have fun!" Bree chirped happily before she turned down a hallway and started towards her history class, thinking once again. ' _What should I do… Wait, that's it! I'm not going to think of missed chances or being jealous of her! I'm going to think of this as Jay is happy, so I'm happy! Cause that's what really matters!'_ She reached the classroom and rolled inside, smiling widely and greeting each of the students along with greeting the teacher and dropping a handful of candy bars on his desk along with an apple and a stick she had whittled into an old style flute just for her teacher. Fridays were her favorite day of the week she decided as she chatted with Holly about the civil war, she always had good ideas and found solutions to her problems on Fridays.

:) :) :)

"Hey, Jay! Hadara!" Bree grinned as she rolled over to the couple on Monday, amber eyes twinkling merrily, "Did you two have fun at the waterfall Saturday? Jay! My blue jay crashed into the sofa again yesterday! He literally plunged straight into the couch and Ben and I had issues trying to get him out of it! He got his beak stuck in the couch itself!" She chirped happily, "but he's okay now! Chirping away and making my bedroom sound like a bird choir!"

Hadara looked a bit startled at the sudden mood change in the girl while Jay seemed completely unfazed as the paralyzed girl pulled her friend down to her level by the shirt and hugged him in a big bear hug.

"I'm sure he'll get the trick right next time." Jay told her, "now let go of me."

"Okay!" Bree let him go and grinned, "It was kinda funny, though! Cause, Ben and I were just watching a movie... hi Holly! ...And I was sitting on the couch while Ben was drooling... hey, Paige! ...On my shoulder, because he was out somewhere all night... hi, Leon! ...So he was asleep and Jake tried to dive bomb us… Hi, Cindy! ...but missed… Hello, Fin! Hey, Isa! … and got his beak stuck in the couch… Hi, Finli! … below the cushions and was stuck! Hi, Haliah! Want a candy bar?!"

"Sure, Bree," Haliah laughed, breaking away from her sisters, Leon, and Brendon to come over. "Got any Kit-Kats?

"I should!" Bree chirped happily, "I refilled my dispenser over the weekend! Go ahead and pick one! I think I have a few sodas in there as well!" Haliah chose a Kit-kat and Bree grinned, "Well what does it say on it?"

Haliah smiled and read the cheerful message on the candy bar aloud, "Just like kitty cats this candy had two sides, a kit side, and a kat side, be a cheerful and gentle kit rather than a hissing cat!" She laughed, "good one Bree, thanks for the chocolate."

"No problem!" Bree grinned happily, "Chocolate makes people happy!" As she cheered up the rest of the student population her jealousy of Hadara was forgotten and her resolution to be happy when Jay was happy with Hadara was strengthened.

 _ **Bree was jealous? *gasp* she can't be jealous! XD Anyway, hope you all liked this chapter! I apologize for not uploading chapters often, I'm trying to come up with some Briarfeather ones because I need to balance out the number of Cinderblaze chapters and the Briarfeather chapters XD**_


	21. Her Parents' Daughter

_**Snowcrystal of Thunderclan- That she does :) Bree's awesome! :D**_

 _ **Unicorn Brownies- I totally should! That would be hilarious! :D I will write that one! XD**_

 _Her Parent's Daughter_

 _Briarfeather_

 _Bree, Jay- 30 ish_

 _Caylee- 8_

 _ **This one is really short… But it's cute and Funny! XD Leon wins the competition of the most kids between him, Holly, and Jay! XD**_

"But I don't want to!" Caylee whined, dark brown hair like her mother's up in a braid her mother had done for her, icy blue eyes pouting. "School's boring!"

"No it's not Caylee," Jay sighed rolling his eyes, "It's-"

"It's only boring if you want it to be boring!" Bree interrupted as she rolled up the stairs to her daughter's room where Jay was arguing with the mentioned daughter about going to school. Bree's amber eyes glittered cheerfully and her voice hadn't lost the excitable edge she had had since she was little. "Don't you want to see your friends Caylee?!"  
"I don't have any friends!" Caylee complained, "Nobody likes me!" She was trying her hardest to get out of going back to school.

"Aren't your cousins your friends?!" Bree asked her, rolling over to where Caylee and Jay were sitting on the former mentioned's bed.

"I find it hard to believe that Flynx, Connor, Kia, Minerva, Lixa, Alexa, Cleo, Tyler and Miles aren't your friends Caylee." Jay said a bit bluntly, "Your cousins love you to death, all ten of them."

"But Kia, Minerva, Cleo, Tyler and Miles are all younger than me!" She complained, "So none of them can talk to me!"

"Caylee," Bree said gently, "Flynx and Alexa are both your age, they're only a few months older and younger than you, and Connor and Lixa is a year and a half older than you, I'm sure they'd play with you if you asked them to."

"I don't want to ask," Caylee mumbled, "I don't want to interrupt them."

"I bet they'd love to have you join them!" Bree smiled at her daughter, "If you have the right attitude nobody really minds being interrupted, take it from me!"

"But I don't want to go, I don't like the work!"

"You're a gifted child Caylee, it's going to be easy for you for a while, why don't you bring a book or something and read?" Jay suggested.

"Or you could try and help everyone!" Bree's amber eyes twinkle as the sight of her daughter's blue eyes light up.

"How?"

"Well when I was in school I cracked jokes, wore the funniest things to make people laugh, and talked to everyone, until I got stuck in this thing anyway!" Bree smiled and even Jay smiled a bit at the sound of his daughter getting excited.

"I wanna try that!"

"If you go to school you can try it!" Bree smiled, "There's a lot of people there!"

"Okay!" Cayless climbed onto her mother's lap and hugged her, "Tell me a story!"

"What kind of story?!" Bree asked as she turned and started down the stairs with Jay on her heels.  
"About the flood!"

"Okay! So most of our group of friends were at the canyon…"

:) :) :) :)

"She's a lot like you." Jay told Bree as they watched their daughter rush over to Flynx and Alexa, greeting absolutely everyone, just like her mother had down as a kid.

"Are you kidding?!" Bree giggled, "She's got your knack for complaining!"

"This again?" Jay rolled his eyes, his tone amused and playful, "I do not have a knack for complaining."

"Oh you totally do, brother of mine." Holly sighed as she, Cynthia, Leon, and Ivory all made their way over to Bree and Jay. "I can barely handle three kids, how can you handle four Cindy?" She asked her best friend who rolled her eyes and grumbled.

"A lot of patience and time."

Leon grinned and kissed his wife's cheek, being cheeky about the whole unexpected twins thing. "Believe me," He told his sister, "We were totally blindsided by twins."

"Minerva and Kia are a year apart and that was hard, twins must be exhausting."

"Like you wouldn't believe." Cynthia shook her head before turning to Bree, "I think Caylee has more of you in her than Jay, I mean, she isn't blind right?" She grinned cheekily at Jay who huffed and settled on glaring at her.

Bree giggled before she replied, "I like to think so! But she gets her stubbornness from Jay!"

"What? No she doesn't, she gets it from both of us!" Jay retorted indignantly.

"Nope! Just you!" Bree grinned as she started back towards their house, Jay on her heels.

"You are just as stubborn as I am," Jay grunted.

"I know!"


	22. What are we going to do! (Cinderblaze)

_**Guest- Yeah, but that's because it's my favorite couple! :D I'm sorry if you don't like the amount of Cinderblaze content, but I'm probably going to keep it this way, Cinderblaze is easier for me to come up with and write so it makes sense that there is more of it! :D :D :D**_

 _ **Guest- Is the wow a good thing? Or is it a bad thing? XD**_

 _ **Echo in the Whispering Wind- Yay! :D :D I'm glad you liked it! :D Cuteness! :D**_

 _ **Tumblebreeze- I really need to update this more often XD I agree, Bree is really cute and cheerful! :D Thanks for the compliment! I'm glad you like it! :D Really? The Her parents' daughter is your favorite? Cool! :D I'm working on a Briarfeather centered AU! :D :D :D :D**_

 _ **Unicorn brownies- :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D**_

 _ **Snowcrystal of Thunderclan- Bree is a really good parent isn't she?! :D :D :D Caylee is really cute XD**_

 _ **Sorry for the slow updates guys! :D I don't update this one as often as WHSS(Warriors Human Short Stories) because I don't have a set goal for this one and I write these when I have time between the other stories I'm writing, so my apologies for the really late update! :D This one is a Cinderblaze one that I promised to my WHSS readers, but the next one I'm writing is a Briarfeather in my Fighting For Love And With Constant Hope world! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D**_

 _What are we going to do?!_

 _Cinderblaze_

 _Cynthia, Leon- nineteen_

 _ **Please, no flames! :D :D**_

Cynthia's blue eyes widened and she staggered away from the bathroom counter, blue eyes welling with scared tears, "Oh Starclan," she breathed, her lower lip trembling with fear and uncertainty, "Leah was right, I am pregnant…"

:)

"Leon, I have to talk to you," Cynthia said, trying to keep her voice steady and trying to hide the turmoil and the overwhelming amount of fear she was feeling. ' _How am I going to tell him?'_ She wondered mentally, pacing his dorm room, having raced over, hoping he was there. But he wasn't, he was at basketball practice.

"Uh, Sunshine, I'm in the middle of a practice," Leon replied and Cynthia fought harder to keep her voice level.

"Now, Leon."

"Is something wrong?"

' _Is something wrong? Something that's going to change everything, yes!'_ Cynthia thought before she replied and pleaded with him, her voice strained and borderline panicked, "Will you please just come to your dorm room? I really really need to talk to you!" She kept pacing nervously, agitated and losing grip on her fear.

"Cyn, I can't leave my team," Leon replied slowly.

Cynthia couldn't keep up the calm facade any longer. "Leon, please!" She begged, blue eyes welling with tears, ' _please just listen to me!'_

"We have game tomorrow Cyn," Leon reasoned and Cynthia lost it, blurting out her problem and bursting into tears, sobbing,

"I'm pregnant Leon!" she sobbed, sitting down on the edge of his bed and burying her face in her hands.

"W-What?!" Leon yelled, unintentionally making Cynthia cry harder, "I'm on my way, where are you?" He asked, his voice frazzled and shocked.

"In your dorm room," Cynthia sobbed harder, her entire body shaking with the force of her emotions.

"Kay, I'm coming, don't worry Sunshine!" Leon said before he hung up and Cynthia let her phone drop.

' _What're we going to do?!'_

:)

Leon skidded around a corner and fumbled for his key card, dropping it repeatedly, his hands shaking slightly. Finally, he got the key card into the slider and the door unlocked and popped open. He pushed it open, quickly walked in before kicking it shut with his foot as he was enveloped in a tight embrace by Cynthia, her face buried in his chest, shoulders shaking as she sobbed. "It's okay," He reassured her, wrapping his arms around her back and gently stroking her hair, attempting to calm her down before figuring out the whole situation. "Shh, you're alright, it's okay…" He soothed, kissing her crown and keeping her wrapped snuggly in his arms.

"Holly's going to kill us!" Cynthia sobbed into his chest, loosely gripping fistfuls of his shirt, completely terrified at the prospect of what they were now dealing with.

"I know," Leon soothed gently, "but it's okay if she gets upset, it's not your fault." He rocked them slightly from side to side, softly murmuring anything comforting that he could think of in her ear. "We'll be okay, it's alright, it's not a bad thing, we'll get through it," He murmured and it seemed to do the trick, Cynthia's crying died to shaky breaths and the occasional hiccup within the next few minutes. He kept murmuring things in her ear, not sure if she was okay now or would start crying again.

Another few minutes passed by before Leon drew back from her slightly and put his hands on either side of her face, making her look at him. His heart squeezed a little painfully at the glittering tear tracks on her face, along with the red rimming her blue eyes, and the water glistening in her eyes. "Hey," He said softly used one thumb to wipe away the tears below her blue eyes, "it's okay," he soothed sincerely, "It's not your fault Cyn," he said as she looked away from him, looking down at the ground at her feet, His amber eyes softened, "hey, look at me Cyn, it's alright." Cynthia reluctantly looked up at him blue eyes watery and vulnerable, still not speaking. "It's my fault," He assured her, "Not yours, I urged you into it, you can blame me if you want okay?" His amber eyes searched hers, looking for her answer and getting a reading on her emotions.

"I don't blame you," Cynthia said, her voice thick and a little hard to understand, "I could've done something, anything to stop it."

"Hey, do you regret it?" He asked, keeping his voice calm despite the fear swirling in his mind and how his heart was squeezing in fear.

Cynthia took a moment to respond, "no…" She admitted quietly, keeping the rest of the sentence to herself. ' _But I wanted to wait…'_

Leon seemed to know what she didn't say anyway as he leaned over, resting his forehead against hers, "I know you did, and I did too, but we're too impulsive and impatient to sit there and fidget for sixteen months," he said and was treated with a small smile at the truthful but humorous statement. He smiled a little as well before kissing the tip of her nose and speaking again, "It's okay, It'll be wonderful in the end." He smiled tenderly as her, "I'm thrilled personally." He admitted softly and Cynthia's blue eyes lit up, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"I am too," Cynthia admitted as a faint blush spread across her cheeks before closing her eyes, content in their current position.

"I love you," He murmured, looking at her with a loving expression on his face.

"Mmmhmm, I love you too," Cynthia replied with a murmur as well, keeping her eyes closed while moving her arms from around his back to be looped lazily around his neck.

:) :) :) :) :)

"You're moving into my apartment," Cynthia said abruptly while the two of them were working together on some college work, startling Leon bad enough he dropped his pencil and accidently drew a huge streak across the paper.

"What?" He asked her, looking at her and not attempting to pick up his pencil.

"I want you with me in my apartment," Cynthia said again, wording it a little differently and putting down her pen to look at him, blue eyes determined.

"Uh, why?"

Cynthia rolled her eyes in exasperation and replied, "one, because I want you there, and two, for the baby of course."

Leon blinked a few times, still a little stunned and confused, "Are you sure?" he asked, looking a little nervous at the idea.

"Leon," Cynthia sighed, looking at him with exasperation plain on her face, "we've lived with each other since we were thirteen, are you seriously asking me if I'm sure or not?"

"Yes," Leon replied, "because I want to make sure you won't just change your mind, mood swings and stuff."

"Eh," Cynthia shrugged, "They aren't that bad." She sobered up to seriousness, "I'm sure Leon, I've been sure even before I said anything about it."

Leon amber eyes lit up and softened, "Then, of course, I'll move into your apartment with you."

Cynthia grinned a bit cheekily, "good, cause I'm not asking."

Leon burst out laughing.

:) :) :) :) :)

Cynthia's blue eyes widened and she darted from the room, vanishing into the bathroom while Leon put down his controller and got up before jogging after her.

"What're you doing?!" Trystan asked staring at him, unable to continue playing the co-op game they were playing when Leon paused it.

"Believe me, I'm not doing what you think I am," Leon replied calmly as he slid into the bathroom as well and knelt next to Cynthia holding her black hair back and rubbing her back while she gagged and her stomach heaved. He waited patiently till she had finished before standing up and grabbing a small glass they kept there on the sink counter before filling it with water and handing it to Cynthia to wash her mouth out. Cynthia did so before standing up, flushing the toilet and rubbing her temples, a headache blooming. "You okay?" He asked gently, looping one arm around her waist to support her.  
"I have a migraine again," she groaned, keeping her eyes shut and trusting Leon to keep her from walking into anything like she had done a few weeks ago while he wasn't home.

"Give me a minute Trystan," Leon told the man after leading Cynthia out of the bathroom and starting down the apartment hallway, "I'll be right back, gotta help Cyndy really quick."

"Okay?"

:) :) :) :)

"Please don't force me to go to one of the planning meetings!" Cynthia begged Holly as she was dragged out of her apartment towards her car. "I can't stand them!"

"Come on Cindy," Holly sighed, "I don't like them either but you're the bride, you have to go to it just like I have to because I'm the maid of honor."

"I have a headache and my stomach is killing me!" Cynthia complained as Holly pushed her towards the car, "and my parents will kill me if they find out!" Cynthia was now three and a half months pregnant and the morning sickness hadn't gone away if anything it had gotten worse as the month rolled by.

"You're not even showing Cindy," Holly said exasperatedly, pushing her friend into the car and closing the door before getting in herself and locking the doors when Cynthia tried to escape.

"Still! They stress more about it than I do!" Cynthia complained, reluctantly buckling up as Holly started the car and started driving.

"Calm down Cindy, it's not good for you to panic," Holly said, glancing at her friend and noticing the color slowly draining from her face. "It's just a planning meeting Cindy-"

"I know it is! Starclan above! My family is obsessed with this wedding! It's driving me crazy!" Cynthia exclaimed, "It's not as complicated at they are making it!"

"Oh, believe me, I know." Holly sighed, having sat through many of the planning meetings and wanting to strangle them all at times.

:) :(

"It should be white."

"No! Blue maybe to compliment her eyes?"

"It should be outside!"

"It's freezing out there!"

Haliah, Paige, Hannah, and Sarah argued the argument had been going on for the past few minutes and Holly could tell that it was getting to Cynthia by the widening of her blue eyes and the pale color of her skin. A moment later Cynthia burst into tears, hiding her head in her arms on the table and almost bawling, "Stop it!" She sobbed, the stress was too much for her, too many people were telling her what to do and she couldn't handle it anymore! Holly awkwardly rubbed her friend's back, Haliah and Paige looked a little guilty at stressing her sister out to the point of tears, Sarah looked startled and a little shocked, and Hannah looked guilty and apologetic.

Bracken, Trystan, and Leon walked back inside from where the three guys had been having a conversation of sorts. Leon's expression quickly morphed from amused to concerned as he caught sight of his fiancé sobbing with her head in her arms and he rushed over to them, sitting next to Cynthia and taking her in his arms, making her move from hiding her face in the table to have her face buried in his chest, clutching handfuls of his t-shirt while crying. "What happened?" He asked, looking at all five women sitting at the table and didn't get a response, "What happened?!" He repeated a little more forcefully, "It's her wedding! So why is she crying?!"

Hannah gave him a response, looking apologetic and sincere, "Sorry, Leon, we didn't mean to overwhelm her like that, but she's not really giving us anything to go along with and we all have ideas."

Leon's amber eyes hardened and leaned closer to the table, unwrapping one arm from around Cynthia's waist and reaching over to pick up a pen from off the table. "Alright, here's the deal." His voice was confident and rough, protective over his emotional fiancé. "The theme is blue and gold, it's going to indoors so keep it modern and relatively neat," he turned over a piece of paper and started sketching a brief sketch of how it should be set up, Cynthia's crying had stopped by now, but she didn't move away from Leon, staying in the same position and listening to him design the wedding. "Tables like this," He drew a few long tables going in three rows, "With a circular one at the head or the front of the room, it's winter so plenty of blues, whites, and enough gold to compliment the blue."

"What shade?"  
"Royal, table cloths are royal blue, clear or white seats and some kind of flower decoration going along the centers of the tables, alternate between something rather tall and something short to give variations." Leon sketched out some other details, "clear lighting, maybe add in a few plants here and there, find something that will make the walls have a royal blue tint of some sort…"

:) :) :) :)

"Leon," Jay sighed to his brother after hearing Leon's complaints on how moody his fiancé was, "She's pregnant, did you expect more? And she's quite tame from what you've told me." He said, settling more comfortably in his spot in his desk chair.

"How is that tame?" Leon stressed, and agitatedly ran his fingers through his hair, making it messier. "Even you aren't as grouchy as she is sometimes!"

"Would you rather a bit of grouchiness over yelling and tears?" Jay reasoned simply.

"Yeah, I guess-"

"Or constantly arguing with you?"

"I'd prefer the grouchiness."

"Then stop whining you wimp. It's your fault you're in that situation in the first place."

"Right…"

:) :) :) :)

Working on a paper was hard when Leon could hear Cynthia eating something while watching something or other on her iPad, and he knew what she was eating, marshmallow fluff and graham crackers, something she really didn't need to be eating with the high sugar content.

"Okay, that's enough of that," Leon sighed, getting up and walking over to the couch to take the medium sized marshmallow fluff container from his fiancé who pouted.

"Leon!" Cynthia whined, looking at him with a pout, "That's mine!"

"It's full of sugar Sunshine," Leon replied, looking back at her, his expression determined, "It's not good for you or the baby."

Cynthia widened her blue eyes into puppy eyes, hoping he'd give it back to her. "Leon…" she pouted.

Leon fought the puppy eyes for a few seconds before he sighed and went back over to her, dropping the container in her lap and looking at her sternly. "Fine, but I am going to make a sandwich for you and you are will eat it, deal?" He figured the starch and carbs would counter the sugar and prevent a sugar rush he didn't have time to deal with.

"Deal!" Cynthia smiled and leaned up to kiss his cheek.

Leon kissed her crown in return before walking off into the kitchen to put together a sandwich she wouldn't get sick from while Cynthia giddily dug into the marshmallow fluff container with the remainder of her graham crackers. At four and a half months the cravings were up and kicking, Cynthia would eat the one thing in the world she hated. Peanut butter. She'd eat it either by the spoonful or when he could convince her, in a sandwich or with something. The marshmallow fluff was a craving too, and while Leon was grateful she didn't have any ridiculous cravings, he had to hide the peanut butter and the marshmallow fluff to keep it away from her long enough he could get something else into her system.

:) :) :) :) :)

"Stop messing with the tie," Cynthia huffed, leaning over the table and slapping his hands away from the blue tie before straightening it for the third time that evening while giving him the stink eye. "I swear, if you mess with it again you will not enjoy the next week." She warned, leaning back in her seat and smoothing out the white dress she had on while looking at him, blue eyes flashing.

Leon pouted, but obediently left the tie alone, not daring to keep pushing her buttons anymore. While he hated the tie with a complete passion, he did not want her mad at him at any point in time, their honeymoon especially. "Sorry Sunshine," he apologized, amber eyes softening as he gazed at her. While she seemed a little uncomfortable, being nearly five months pregnant and all, she was beautiful. The beauty he usually saw was amplified with both her white dress and the radiant glow she had going, making her even more beautiful than usual, which was already enough to take his breath away. Cynthia was now watching him curiously, probably wondering why he hadn't said anything or finished his sentence and Leon smiled gently at her, amber eyes gentle and loving. "You're beautiful." He said simply, taking her hands from across the table and enveloping them in his own, continuing to look at her with love and gentle awe.

"You're pretty handsome yourself," Cynthia smiled, her blue eyes softening as well, perfectly content to stay in this position for the rest of the evening.

"I love you," Leon murmured, leaning halfway across the table, keeping his gaze locked on hers.

"I love you too," Cynthia murmured in return, leaning forward so their noses brushed, "Thank you for all of this." she murmured, referring to the fact that he did most of the planning while she fought with all of the fun things that came with being pregnant.

"Anything for you, Cyn," Leon replied in the same soft tone before softly kissing her.

:) :) :) :) :)

Leon woke up to Cynthia jumping on him. His amber eyes flew open and he groaned from her weight, she had been getting heavier as the months rolled by and Leon now had the air knocked out of him. "Cyn, that hurt…" He complained sleepily, looking up at her through tired amber eyes, thoroughly exhausted from that night's activities while Cynthia seemed to be as energetic and hyper as Bree was and had been for the past sixteen years.

"Leon!" Cynthia's blue eyes twinkled and she completely disregarded what he was saying, "Look!"

"What?" Leon mumbled, "Get off me then maybe I can look." Cynthia quickly got off him, sitting on her knees, blue eyes bright with excitement, looking excited and enthusiastic. "Okay now, what did you want to show me?" He asked, still partially asleep but now sitting up. The cobwebs of which vanished when she spoke next.

"I'm showing!" She giggled, something that surprised him, she didn't giggle often, preferring to laugh or chuckle over the girly giggling sound, but when she was really excited or was being tickled she subconsciously made the noise, adorable sounding if you asked him.

"Really?" he asked looking at her in surprise dropping his attention to her belly.

"Uh huh!" Cynthia smiled, pulling up her shirt and Leon's face broke out into a wide smile, able to clearly see the gentle but noticeable rounding of her abdomen.

"That's great!" He smiled, "We can actually see the baby!"

"I know!" Cynthia smiled, pulling her shirt back down, not that it really hid it now that Leon was aware of it.

Leon smiled and gently placed both hands on her stomach, looking softly at where he could finally see physical proof of their child. Cynthia didn't stop him, instead, she watched him through soft blue eyes, silently saying that Leon was going to be a great father.

:) :) :) :) :)

Leon yawned, rubbing his eyes and stretching slightly, taking a break from his studying to stretch. It was midnight now, and he was sitting on the bed, leaning back against the headboard as he studied for his test tomorrow. Cynthia was asleep next to him, lying on her left side with her arm over her head, hiding her face and blocking the light from the dimmed lamp on the bedside table so she could sleep. She had fallen asleep only an hour ago, having diligently stayed awake as long she could with him to help him study before she fell asleep. Leon yawned again and he scratched the back of his head before closing his textbook and setting it on the small dresser table beside the bed before scooting down and lying down, pulling the blankets up to his shoulders before turning off the lamp and looping one arm around Cynthia's waist, drawing her to him with his hand lightly resting on her rounded stomach. He closed his eyes, feeling sleepy and worn out from all nighters he had been pulling lately, preparing for his test.

:) :) :) :) :) :)

Leon was finishing brushing his teeth and getting ready to leave for class when Cynthia darted into the bathroom, nearly falling on the tile as she knelt and threw up in the toilet with a groan. Leon stuck his toothbrush in his mouth and knelt next to her, holding her black hair back and continuing to brush his teeth, waiting for the bout to end, worried about time. "You okay?" He asked around his toothbrush before glancing at the watch on his wrist, ' _eight-o-five, Starclan, I'm going to be late!'_

"I'm fine," Cynthia managed to say before being overcome with another bout of nausea, "you need to go," She coughed after her nausea settled for the moment, blue eyes dull, her face pale from the throwing up, her forehead clammy.

"I have time," Leon lied, continuing to brush his teeth and hold her hair back.

"No you don't," Cynthia said, using her arms to sloppily put her hair up in a ponytail that kept it away from her face and her current issue, "You're going to be late."

"I'd rather make sure you're okay before I leave," Leon said after he got up and rinsed his mouth and toothbrush, looking at her huddled and exhausted form with a mixture of worry and pity.

"I'm fine Leon," She promised with a small gag, "Go to class."

"Are you sure? I don't want to leave you when you're suffering like this," Leon said concernedly, "I don't mind being late."

"Just go Leon, you need to be on time and this will go away, it always does," Cynthia told him feeling horrible, but knowing that despite how much she wished he could stay here with her he really needed to be on time to a class he had been repeatedly late to a hundred times.

"Okay, feel better Sunshine," He kissed her crown before leaving the bathroom, his heart in his stomach as he heard her get sick again. Running into their bedroom he grabbed his backpack and rummaged through his other duffle bag before pulling out his forest green hoodie and neatly folding it, placing on the bedside table and quickly finding a suitable outfit for her to show he cared before running into the kitchen and pulling out his lunch along with a jar of peanut he had hidden, a spoon, a jar of marshmallow fluff that Cynthia was obsessed with, graham crackers, and an extra sandwich. Going into the tiny dining room he put everything besides his lunch, which he had stuffed into his backpack- down on the table before tracking down Cynthia's Ipad and wireless headphones and opening up something he had been seeing her watching lately. He paused it, then connected the wireless headphones and put them on the table as well before he darted out of the apartment on his way to his classes for the day.

During the class about half an hour later his phone silently buzzed and the screen flashed awake to reveal the text message he had just received from Cynthia.

 _I love you 3_ The text was short and simple, but it still made Leon smile as he struggled through the boring English class, repeatedly glancing over at it. He could picture what Cynthia was doing, probably lying on her side or back, or maybe even sitting up, wrapped up in his hoodie and watching what he was set up for her and munching on probably the graham crackers and the marshmallow fluff. He finally replied an hour and a half later after getting the courage to use his phone during class. _C._ He replied as quickly as possible, hoping not to get into any trouble for using his phone.

:D

Cynthia glanced over at her phone when it buzzed from on top of her swelling stomach, which was getting bigger every day, and lazily picked up the electronic device as she looked away from her entertainment while Leon was gone and paused it to look at her phone. She made a face at the text speak, but smiled all the same, putting the phone back down and pressing play on the movie she was watching, blue eyes twinkling cheerily.

:) :) :) :) :)

"Jay, is the morning sickness supposed to stop?" Leon asked his brother, his phone tucked between his shoulder and ear while he rubbed Cynthia's back and looked sympathetically at her hunched form, she wasn't vomiting at the moment, too exhausted to actually perform the action, instead, she kept dry heaving, bracing herself with her right palm braced firmly against her knees, Leon was holding her other hand while rubbing her back, amber eyes worried, the morning sickness was getting ridiculous, wasn't it supposed to stop after the first three months?

"It's supposed to," Jay grunted, his voice grumpy and curt like usual. "Why, does she still have it?"

"Yeah, it hasn't gone away and I'm getting worried, she's not eating as much as before and about half of what she does eat gets thrown back up from the morning sickness," Leon replied, wincing as Cynthia let out a weak groan, obviously dead tired and physically tired out, having not been able to get much sleep or been able to keep down all of the food she had been eating  
"I'll come over and figure out what's up, maybe I can give her a medication to get it to stop."

"Only if the medication doesn't hurt the baby," Leon said firmly, kissing the top of Cynthia's head as she leaned back on her knees and dropped her head on his shoulder, shifting her position to be sitting side saddle on the ground and tiredly putting her head down on his shoulder, closing her blue eyes in the process.

:(

Leon was awake when Cynthia woke up, having stayed with her to make sure the medication Jay had been giving her for the past week didn't have any side effects. He was typing on his laptop when he heard her yawn and looked over to see her blue eyes open, he then smiled before he leaned sideways and gently kissing her hello. "Hey Sunshine," he greeted after he moved back into his sitting position, "How're you feeling?"

"Like I want to go back to sleep," Cynthia replied drowsily, snuggling deeper into the blankets and half closing her eyes.

"Any nausea?" Leon asked warmly, reaching over and rubbing her right shoulder, feeling her relax and melt at the gentle massage.

"No…" Cynthia yawned, fully closing her eyes and going back to sleep, not bothering to finish her sentence.

Leon smiled and leaned sideways before he kissed her forehead and pulled the blankets up higher and tucked them around her shoulders, satisfied that the morning sickness was finally gone and he could have his happy wife back.

:) :) :) :)

"You feeling okay?" Leon asked Cynthia out of concern, sitting on the armrest of the partially reclined recliner to ask her the question.

Cynthia breathed an annoyed breath out of her nose, feeling annoyed at him for a reason that she didn't feel like explaining to him. "I'm fine." She grunted, turning away from him slightly, focusing on her iPad and continuing to play the game she had been playing, the device propped up against her eight-month pregnant belly.

"Alright," Leon said, and after he read her grumpy mood, he wisely he got up and disappeared down the hall.

When he left Cynthia leaned her head back against the cushions of the recliner with a soft sigh, she wasn't really mad at him, mostly stressed out and disappointed in herself. She couldn't really do much to her disappointment, she didn't have the money right now and wouldn't for a while. Abandoning her iPad she hauled herself to her feet and started towards her room, going over to a bookshelf and running her fingers along the spines of some of the books, looking for a book she wanted to read.

:)

"Hey Bracken," Leon asked, holding his phone in between his head and his shoulder, looking at Cynthia's iPad and looking at something in particular. He knew how stubborn she was and wouldn't let him ask her father for his help buying something she wanted, but he needed help. "Can I do something for you to earn extra money? I want to get Cindy something she wants." Leon said, looking at the crib he noticed she had been looking at more than a handful of times.

"Sure, Leon, when are you able to come over? I have some yard work you can do if you'd like."

"I have tomorrow free can I come over in the morning and get it done then?"  
"Sound's good to me, how much do you need? I can find some other things for you to do."

"Three-fifty with no coins," Leon admitted with a wince. "I promise I'll pay you back," he swore, "I'll have enough in a few weeks to pay you back."

"Why don't you wait?"  
"I want to make her happy, she's been really stressed and upset lately, and I know that if I get it then it'll bring up her mood."

"Alright, I'll find some things I can use your help with… actually, why don't you come help me rebuild the shed roof?"

"I can do that along with the yard work," Leon said determinedly, "And I'll pay you back."

"Nah, just come over and help me do a few things like fixing my shed and you don't need to pay me back."

"Bracken, I insist."  
"Leon, ask my daughter if you make her happy and tell me her answer."  
Leon frowned in confusion, but did so, putting down the iPad and walking into his and Cynthia's room where his wife was reading a book while lying on her side half asleep. "Hey, Cyn?" He asked, "Do I make you happy?"

Cynthia smiled lazily, feeling particularly relaxed at the current moment. "That's a stupid question Leo, of course, you do," She leaned up and kissed his cheek, "if you didn't make me happy I wouldn't be here you prat."  
Leon smiled and kissed her crown, "Thank you for answering my silly question Sunshine."

"No problem, Leon, now shoo so I can finish my book," Cynthia laughed, settling back on her side and continuing to read as he left the room.

"I guess so, she says I do."

"Then you don't need to pay me back. If you make my daughter happy and are willing to work for the money then don't worry about paying me back."

"Are you sure? I don't mind paying you back Bracken." Leon said confidently, "It's not an issue."

:)

"Don't peek okay?" Leon asked Cynthia, leading her forward and into their room towards where he had finally set up the dark colored crib that Cynthia had been looking at for the past month, obviously wishing she could get it.

"Okay," Cynthia sighed, holding her arms out in front of her as an attempt of making sure he wasn't trying to run her into something.

"Open your eyes when I tell, you to okay?"

"Okay, Leon," Cynthia huffed, "you're starting to get on my nerves now."

"I promise it's just a few more moments," Leon promised, turning her towards the crib before removing his hands from her eyes. "You can open them now," he breathed in her ear and Cynthia did as he said, opening her eyes and blinking a few times, narrowing her eyes to focus her vision; before her blue eyes widened dramatically and she stared at the crib.

"How?" Cynthia breathed, looking up at him with complete shock on her face.

Leon smiled, "I did some extra work to get together the money, do you like it?"

Cynthia laughed, blue eyes a little misty, "Like it? Leon, I love it!" She hugged him to her best ability and Leon hugged her back, the couple embracing warmly. "I love you so much!" Cynthia smiled, tugging on his hoodie collar to pull him down to her height before kissing him, completely thrilled.

:) :) :) :) :)

Cynthia paced, silently gnawing on her thumbnail, finding something to do while she paced, able to feel slightly intense contractions that had been going on slowly getting longer and more painful since three in the morning and it was now four in the afternoon and she was feeling restless, in a little pain, and breathing deeper breaths.

"Cyndy, you sure you're okay?" Holly asked her, closing her book to look at her pacing friend, probably worried about her having been up with her since ten this morning.

"I'm fine," Cynthia told her friend, rubbing her wide belly as if it would make the small and short bursts of pain go away, "honest." She added, noticing Holly's hesitant uncertainty gleaming in her green eyes, "the pain is less than getting hit with something."

"Okay," Holly reluctantly said, "but when you start feeling bad pain or your water breaks, we're going to the hospital, deal?"

"Deal." Cynthia agreed, changing her pacing pattern to include the stairs, hoping not to have a ridiculously long labor.

 _ **And that's the pregnancy story! :D Was it okay? I've never actually done anything like this before so it was a whole different thing to write! XD**_


	23. I can see! (Briarfeather)

**Waterpool- Yay! I'm glad you like it! It was fun to write! :D**

 **Snowcrystal of Thunderclan- Yay! The ship Button! :D :D :D :D :D XD :D :D :D :D :D**

 **Cinderblaze- I'm glad you like it and more is in the process of being written! :D Awesome username by the way! :D :D :D**

 **Echo in the Whispering Wind- Really?! Cool! And I'm glad you loved that chapter! It's one of my favorites! :D**

 **Sorry about the length guys, this idea fell flat about half way through when I was writing the second scene! XD And I had to reupload it, stupid code :( Anyway, enjoy! :D**

I can see! AU

Briarfeather

Jay, Bree, Holly- 24 1/2

Leon, Cynthia- 23 1/2

Lixa (brief mention)- 2 months

"Jay! Let's go!" Holly yelled up the stairs, frustrated with her brother's grumpy attitude that had been going on for the past few years. "We need to go!"

Leon sighed and softly shook his head in exasperation, going places with his grump of an older brother had gotten harder after high school, when his best friend and their close friend, Breanna Grayas had left the country to go to an extremely good college six years ago, and Jay had been more grumpy ever since. "I'll go get him." he sighed and handed Lixa to Cynthia who wasn't going with them, busy with their baby girl and tired enough to fall asleep standing up. Leon ran up the stairs and nearly ran into his brother who scowled and barely dodged out of the way.

"I'm coming already, stop panicking and get out of the way."

"Jeez," Leon muttered as he turned and went back down the stairs, going over to Cynthia and sitting next to her on the couch, waiting for Jay. "He's coming," Leon told Holly before he pressed a kiss to Cynthia's temple.

"I'm right here," Jay grunted, stomping down the stairs and acting like a child. "Where are we going now?"

"We're visiting someone," Holly replied cheerfully, "now let's go already!"

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

"Hi, guys!" Jay heard Bree's voice and nearly did a double take, he hadn't heard her voice is many years, long enough for it to be nearly unfamiliar. "It's been so long! Come here! Give me a hug!"

"Is that really Bree?" He asked his brother in a hushed voice.

"Hi, Holly! Where's Cindy?" Bree inquired, hugging Holly.

"Yeah," Leon replied in the same hushed tone before jogging over to the woman and letting her envelop him in a bear hug, "Hey Bree, long time no see right? Cyndy's at home with Lixa at the moment, you should come visit sometime."

"Ooh! Isn't Lixa your daughter?! I bet she's really cute!" Bree chirped happily, smiling widely.

"Hey, Bree," Jay said curtly, blind blue eyes gazing vaguely in her direction.

Almost immediately the cheerful atmosphere changed from cheerful and excited to apprehensive and cheerful -the latter was from Bree.-"Hi, Jay!" Bree chirped, looking at him a bit apprehensively, "did you have fun with college?"

"Yes," Jay replied stiffly, "It was fun doing it all alone."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there," Bree apologized sincerely, "it was a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Jay didn't reply, gazing stonily in her direction. "Jay-"

"I don't want to hear it."

"Let me explain!-"

"No."

"Jay cut it out! Let me explain why I did it!-"

"I don't want to hear it."

"I can fix your vision!" Bree exclaimed in frustration and Jay froze, all four of them froze.

"W-what?" Jay breathed, taking a few steps away from her in surprise.

"It's a long story, but I can fix your vision, Jay!"

:) :) :) :)

"Yeah," Bree finished explaining why she went to E.M.U (Engineering Master University) rather than W.E.(Warriors In Excellence) "I got a scholarship and initially said no, but they managed to get a hold of my blueprints for the VH, Vision Healer." She added at the blank look she was getting from the other four adults, "I only went there because they said they would help me build it it I went to the school."

"So you went so you could help Jay?" Holly asked her friend, looking at her twin brother who was quiet, he hadn't spoken since Bree had started explaining what had happened.

"Yeah," Bree confirmed with a small nod, "I've been working on it since high school. It's a device that hopefully can fix his sight!"

"I want to try it," Jay grunted, speaking up finally, locking blind blue eyes on his friend. "I want to try your device."

"I can't promise it'll work Jay," Bree said slowly, "It hasn't been tested yet and I don't know if it'll work-"

"It'll work, I know it will." Jay interrupted her, showing rare confidence toward his best friend, "your devices always work."

Bree's amber eyes flash nervously, "well I hope it works, it hasn't been tested yet."

"It'll work."

:) :) :) :)

"Jay, do you trust me?" Bree asked him softly, sitting in her wheelchair in front of his chair and looking at him while taking his hands in her own, amber eyes curious and apprehensive. "If you're going to go through with this, I need you to trust me."

"I trust you, Bree. I trust you with my life." Jay replied, his usually curt voice shaky and determined.

"It'll be okay," Bree said, leaning forward and pressing a comforting kiss to his forehead, "I'll be there the entire time."

"Promise?" Jay asked a bit timidly, blind blue eyes gazing vacantly at his best friend.

"I promise Jay," Bree promised in a determined voice, her amber eyes gentle and confident.

:) :) :) :)

"You ready?" Bree asked Jay, it was time to test and see if Bree's device had healed the birth defect that had resulted in Jay's blindness, his siblings stood near the hospital bed, waiting anxiously.

"I'm ready," Jay affirmed, his voice back to being gruff and curt, but his voice held that same anxiousness as everyone else. His eyes were covered by a thin specially designed light dampening bandana with Bree's visor-like device currently on top, the silver visor looking device not on at the moment, the LED was off, signaling that the device had done as much as it could.

"Are you sure?" Bree asked she was sitting in front of him on her knees, barely a foot and a half away from him, still wearing a white lab coat and her hair was still up in a messy braid, having been constantly monitoring Jay and the device for the past three days.

"Yes," Jay confirmed his previous answer, his hands fiddling nervously with the blankets.

"Okay, I'm going to take the device off, tell me if you see any traces of light okay?"

"Okay."

Bree reached up and carefully unclipped the strap that went around the back of Jay's head before pressing a button and carefully taking it off, leaving him with just the blindfold. Taking a flashlight out of her pocket, she clicked it on and dragged the beam across the blindfold, holding her breath and waiting for Jay to say he saw something.

"I see it," Jay said, his voice wavering, "I can see the light your shining on my face."

"Close your eyes okay?" Bree asked him, her amber eyes gleaming with hope, "I'm going to take the blindfold off and don't open them until I say so okay?"

"Okay."

Bree then carefully untied the blindfold and gestured for Holly to turn the lights down, which she did before she took a deep breath and spoke, her voice shaky, "Okay, open your eyes, Jay."

Jay tentatively opened his eyes, before he hissed and shut them again. "Ow," he grunted.

Bree giggled a little, "Well let your eyes adjust silly, your eyes haven't seen light in over sixteen years, Jay." Jay slowly opened his eyes again, blinking a few times to focus. Bree then drew in a sharp breath as the distance in his eyes vanished and they focused on her, the blue that had been dulled because of his blindness was bright and vibrant, a soft baby blue color. "C-can you see me?" She breathed, her amber eyes locked on his own.

:) :) :) :) :)

Jay was stunned, he could see! He could see things! he could see the beautiful woman sitting in front of him who had given his sight back to him! "I can see you," Jay spoke, his voice shaky and emotional, "I can see you, Bree," it was sinking in and he smiled, "I can see you." He watched his best friend, taking in her ruffled and tired appearance like she had been sitting in that room without doing anything else for hours. Her dark brown hair was up in a messy french braid, ink smudged her fingertips, and the white lab coat was splattered with bright blue ink.

He watched as Bree's amber eyes lit up at his smile and his words, "I can tell!" She grinned, "you're looking right at me!"

"Leon! Jay can see!" Holly exclaimed giddily, hugging her younger brother tightly, "he can see again!"

Leon grinned and hugged his sister back, laughing with relief, "he can see us!"

Jay turned his head toward their direction and drank in the sight of his two siblings, his blue eyes gleaming with joy. After the three siblings just looked at each other for a few moments, Jay did something unexpected, he leaned toward Bree and hugged her tightly, burying his face into the crook of her neck, "Thank you, Bree, thank you so much."

Bree got over the shock and returned the tight embrace, her amber eyes sliding shut as she spoke warmly, "You're welcome Jay, I'm glad this makes you happy."

:) :) :) :) :)

"Why're you looking at me like that?" Bree laughed nervously, they were sitting in Jay's hospital room, waiting for Holly and Leon to return with Cynthia and their parents, Bree had been cleaning the device that had brought back Jay's vision.

"Like what?" Jay asked her innocently, his gruff voice warmer than usual.

"I don't know! You're the one looking at me!" Bree snorted fidgeting under his piercing gaze.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Jay!" Bree fidgeted some more, "quit it!"

Jay flashed a brief smirk, "I'm just looking at you."

"Yeah, like I'm something super special!" Bree whined, "It's discerning!" A blush was spreading across her cheekbones and the bridge of her nose, making Jay watch her in fascination.

"You're blushing." He stated simply, watching the spreading pink color with fascination.

"You're the one making me blush!" Bree retorted, turning her head away from him to hide the blush. "Stop staring at me!"

Jay got to his feet and approached her, sitting in the chair next to her, "It's cute." He admitted and Bree turned sharply towards him, her face still warm, but his admission surprised her.

"W-what?"

"The blush, it's cute," Jay repeated patiently, his blue eyes locked on her face.

"Um… okay?" Bree said, "Did my device scramble your brain or something?"

Jay shrugged, "Maybe." He leaned closer to her, "but I don't really mind at the moment," and with those words, he kissed her.


	24. An Emotional Roller Coaster

_**Tumblebreeze: Yup! He can see now! :D :D If only he realized why Bree had done it :(**_

 _ **Cinderblaze: I know right? XD They are pretty cute, but I agree, Cinderblaze is better! :D :D**_

 _An Emotional Roller Coaster_

 _(I Can See! World)_

Bree's eyes widened, "what?" She breathed, staring at Jay with wide eyes.

Jay cracked a grumpy smile, his blue eyes focused on Bree herself. "You fixed my vision, it's only fair that I try to fix you too."

Bree looked stunned, she had abandoned that particular project years ago, too busy with her project to heal Jay's vision to work on the device that could fix the weak muscles in her back and the torn nerves in her spine. "I…" she couldn't think of what to say, she was nearly speechless. Building the device for Jay had been something that she had hoped would've advanced their relationship a little with the display of how much she cared about him and how worried she had been as his grumpy attitude got more foul the longer he was blind.

But, in the long run, it had done nothing, she didn't even see him that often between her college work for her second degree, masters in broad medicine to accompany her specialized Technology masters degree; and Jay's improved life with his vision. If anything, all of the effects of helping him regain his vision were temporary and happened right after she had healed him, such as the hug he gave her after seeing her and his siblings in sixteen years, and the kiss he has surprised her with a few hours after his vision was healed. And it hurt the energetic inventor's feelings and flattened her hopes, but she didn't let Jay see it, the pain was usually dulled by how happy he was to be living a normal life anyway, and hopes weren't really solid, so that was okay too.

"I don't know what to say…" Bree said, still struggling to come up with something to say.

Jay opened his mouth to reply, but his phone went off and instead, he groaned. "Gah!" He pulled his phone from his pocket and answered it a bit grudgingly. "Hello?" A moment later his blue eyes lit up a little, "hey Hadara, did you need something?"

Bree's heart clenched slightly and she carefully hid what she was feeling from Jay, hiding her other emotions behind her happy and cheerful nature.

"I can't, I'm a little busy at the moment…" Jay said as he studied his hoodie sleeve, blue eyes slightly conflicted.

Bree stopped herself from averting her eyes to her lap as her heart stung painfully. This was the drawback to fixing his vision. The only reason Hadara had broken up with him those years ago was because she didn't know what to do with his blindness, and Bree had fixed her for her. Which meant that Bree was now second best. Again. "It's okay, Jay," Bree smiled, pain hiding behind the cheer in her amber eyes. "I should go anyway, I have a test tomorrow in common medical remedies."

Jay's eyebrow's furrowed in confusion and he studied her expression, "I don't mind staying here with you Bree." He then winced and groaned, "it's not like that Hadara, I was just talking to her."

Bree kept her feelings out of view as a lump grew in her throat, she had become very good at hiding her nonexcitable and happy emotions over the past year and a half. Now that Jay could see, she couldn't slip up and show her emotions through her eyes. "Nah, it's okay!" she said with a bright smile, "go have fun with your girlfriend Jay! You don't have to cancel anything because of me!"

"Are you sure?" Jay asked with slight concern, "what about healing your paralysis?"

"You don't have to do it either!" Bree chirped cheerily, "I'm happy like this, I don't need to walk to be happy Jay!" She smiled a little wider hiding how much this entire thing bothered her. _I just want you to be happy._

Jay looked torn, "Bree-"

"Really Jay," Bree cut him off, her voice now level and happy, "if you're busy it's okay, I'll see you later m'kay?" She put her hands on the wheels of her wheelchair and waited for him to reply, feeling a little overwhelmed now, she didn't want to choose for him, she didn't want to influence his choice either. She wasn't his girlfriend and Hadara should be a higher priority than his childhood friend who had healed his blindness and has been in love with him since they were fourteen… Right?

"Okay, I'll come," Jay sighed into his phone, "sorry Bree, I'll see you later right?"

Bree smiled at him, "of course!" She chirped happily, "Maybe another day?"

Jay nodded a bit reluctantly and watched Bree as the dark brown haired women turned away from him and started rolling towards her apartment.

 _If only, right?_ Bree mused inwardly as she pushed herself away from her friend and toward her apartment complex. _I'm going back to the campus soon anyway, I only got permission for online classes for two years, I still have another year left of college._ Bree's amber gaze flicked up toward the sparse wisps of clouds decorating the sky, _he's happy and that's what matters._

:(

"Hey Bree," Leon called the energetic inventor a few days after the whole thing with Jay. "how's it going?"

"Good!" Bree chirped, but her voice was slightly flat, obviously, she wasn't in the mood to keep it high up there at the moment. "How're you?"

"I'm decent," Leon replied as his eyebrows furrowed, Bree wasn't sounding like she usually did, the excitement and cheer were almost forced. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Bree chirped and her voice was back to normal, "As long as Jay's happy anyway!"

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to join the five of us for dinner?" Leon asked and cracked a smile as his two-year-old daughter Lixa ran by with Cynthia on her heels, the black haired woman obviously frustrated with her excited daughter and the extra weight she had been gaining lately.

"Five?" Bree asked curiously, her voice still bright and excited.

"Jay invited Hadara," Leon shrugged casually.

"Cool!" Bree chirped happily, "I've got a bunch of college work to do… but why not?"

Leon caught her half excuse that she turned into an acceptance. _Something's wrong with her._ He mentally mused and thanked her before he hung up and caught his daughter, "Lixa, can you please behave for mama?" he asked his daughter with something close to puppy eyes.

"Okay!" Lixa giggled and hugged her father.

"Ugh." Cynthia groaned, "I'm not looking forward to another one."

Leon cracked a grin, "sorry Sunshine."

:)

Bree was silent through most of the dinner, keeping to herself and playing with a specially designed fidget spinner she had designed years ago that didn't stop spinning unless you made it stop and changed colors, keeping her thoroughly focused on her other activities. Besides right now anyway. Bree was watching the spinner in her lap, looking down at her lap at the spinner that was changing colors and shades as it spun.

"Hey, what're you doing Bree?" Jay asked his friend, his blue eyes slightly concerned about how quiet she was being.

Bree lifted the spinner from her lap and showed it to him, "just playing with a fidget spinner." She smiled cheerfully. "It's my design."

Hadara looked impressed, "you designed it?" she watched the spinner change colors, her blonde eyebrows raised rather high.

"Yup," Bree smiled brightly, "I tend to make a lot of things."

"So you're an engineer?"

"Yeah, sorta, I specialize in the creation of technology." Bree smiled, keeping her tone as cheerful as ever.

Jay's blue eyes narrowed slightly, and he gave Bree a look. _We're talking later._

Bree shook her head slightly and tucked the spinner away, "I had a lot of fun with you guys, but I really should get back to work on my essays." She said goodbye to everyone and gave everyone a hug, although she gave Jay and Hadara a fist bump instead before she left, tired of hiding how she was feeling.

:(

Jay knocked on Bree's door, "Bree, I know you're there."

Bree pulled the door open and let him in, "Hey!"

Jay ignored her greeting and asked her a question in a firm voice. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong with me Jay," Bree rolled her eyes and shut the door before rolling over to where he was.

"Yes, there is!" Jay shot back, "you're miserable!"

Bree's amber eyes flash slightly, "you want to know why I'm miserable Jay?" she asked, her voice oddly flat and indifferent, something that wasn't a good look on the hyper inventor. "I'm tired of being in love with you." She stated bluntly, "it does nothing but bring me hurt and pain, while I'm happy that you're happy now, I just want to leave back to my campus."

Jay's eyes widened slightly, "what do you mean?" he asked sharply.

"I'm tired of seeing you every day with someone who will never be me and I want it to stop," Bree replied flatly. "I'm tired of being second best and you not showing anything because I fixed your vision."

Jay looked taken back, "I'll always be thankful you fixed my vision Bree, and you see more from me than most people do, what do you want from me?"

Bree slammed her fists down on the arm rests on her wheelchair, tears making her eyes sting as she refused to let him see her cry, "it doesn't matter Jay! I'll never get it anyway!"

Jay's blue eyes narrowed in response to her sudden act of anger. "What do you want from me Bree?" he insisted, "I can't help you if you don't tell me."

"There's no reason to tell you!" Bree shot back, her voice hard and frustrated, "I don't need your help! I need to go back to my campus!"

"Why? What do you want from me, Bree?" Jay shouted, his blue eyes flashing, "What do you want from me so badly that you want to leave me because you can't have it?!"

"I want you to love me!" Bree broke, her resistance against her tears and her stubbornness in avoiding him shattering. "All I want is for you to love me! But you never will!" She shouted, tears trickling quickly down her cheeks, her amber eyes vulnerable and raw, something Jay had never seen before. "I've wanted you to love me for so long that it hurts!" Bree sobbed and buried her face in her hands, not daring to look at him any long.

Jay stared at her in shock, "what?"

Bree turned her wheelchair away from Jay and shot off, pushing herself into her bedroom and shutting the door behind her before putting her arms down on her bed and sobbing her heart out, finally done with bottling up her feelings and not letting them out.

Jay sat heavily down on the couch and rubbed his face almost wearily, _So Bree's in love with me too? Why are girls so confusing?_

:(

Jay couldn't hear Bree crying any longer, but he didn't move from his spot, his chin on his hands in a thoughtful position, he had been mulling over Bree's exclamation for the past ten minutes so far. _Is that why she fixed my vision and didn't fix herself? She could've easily finished the project Holly and I finished and repaired her back and nerves, but she didn't, instead, she fixed me. How long has she felt this way?_ For as long as Jay can remember from their teenage years and forward, Bree had always put him first, preferring to worry about her best friend than herself. But Jay had just figured that it was her personality since she seemed to do the same to everyone else as well. Jay felt guilt lodge itself in his stomach as a thought struck him, _She must've hoped that I would love her after she fixed my vision, that's probably why she looked so excited when I wanted to talk to her before I brought up Hadara anyway. She must've silently hoped that I was finally returning her feelings._ The guilt grew worse. _But all I did was shoot them down and ask her for help regarding Hadara._ Jay sighed and rubbed his temples, remembering that particular moment.

" _I…" Jay said slightly nervously._

 _Bree's amber eyes glittered with excitement and cheer just like they always did, but Jay could tell that she was more excited than usual, which confused him._

" _I need your help with Hadara."_

 _Bree's eyes flashed with disappointment and her posture slumped slightly, but she gave Jay feedback with as much excitement and cheer that she could muster, which was a lot. "You're trying to get back together with her? Auh! That's so cute!" She squealed before calming down a little, still hiding how much disappointment and hurt was flooding her on the inside. "First we have to show her that you can see now!"_

Jay sighed, _Poor Bree, she tried so hard to pretend she was happy that I was with Hadara when she really wished it was her._ He looked up at the sound of wheels and blinked slightly as Bree approached him, her amber eyes a little red-rimmed, but determined and confident.

"I'm sorry," Bree apologized sincerely while looking him in the eye, "I shouldn't have done that, you're with Hadara and I had no right to say anything that I did, nor do I have any right to push you into anything, for that I apologize. I'm sorry that I lost control and upset you." She finished, her voice rather brisk and direct.

Jay stared at her in shock _She's apologizing for feeling this way?_ He fumbled for what to say, "You don't have to apologize-"

"Yes I do," Bree insisted, breaking eye contact and looking down at her lap, "I shouldn't have said anything about my feelings, you're perfectly happy with Hadara and I shouldn't have intruded or made your relationship more complicated." She kept her gaze on her lap, "what can I do to make up for it?" she said quietly.

"Bree, there's nothing wrong with being in love with someone," Jay said as he looked at his best friend, blue eyes still slightly shocked. "Everyone is."

"Jay, just don't." Bree said sharply, "it's not right okay? I know you were thinking about asking Hadara to marry you, just forget I said anything alright?"

Jay looked startled that she knew before his eyes changed to concerned, "I don't want my friend to be miserable Bree."

"I won't be." Bree replied quickly, "I'm going back to England for my college courses and I'll stay there," she responded, "then I'm nowhere near either of you and I won't do anything rash."

Jay looked a little sadly at his friend, "I'm sorry Bree."

"It's fine." Bree shrugged even as tears pricked at the corners of her amber eyes, she had a feeling that she would be doing a heck of a lot of crying lately. "I'll get over it."

"Just out of curiosity," Jay said rather quickly, "how long?"

"Since we were fourteen." Bree murmured thickly, keeping her head bowed.

Jay's eyes widened, "twelve years?"

Bree chuckled without humor, "yeah, I'm never going to be free am I?" She lifted her head and looked at him, her eyes sad, "funny how you only ever kissed me once and never even brought it up again, so it didn't really happen I guess."

Jay felt more guilt swell in his gut, that was true, he had kissed her after she had fixed his vision, and he had done it because in that brief moment he felt like he had loved her more than just a best friend. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Bree shrugged, "it's just less for me to think about."

"Can I at least fix your back?" Jay asked quietly, hoping not to send his friend away without doing what he wanted to do to help her.

"If it means you'll forget what I said then yes," Bree mumbled softly and looked back down at her lap.

:(

Bree groaned and forced her eyes open, she could feel the pins and needles feeling in her legs and boy it was not comfortable. _Ow…_ She inwardly thought before she noticed that nobody was there and sighed out loud. _Stop doing that Bree._ She inwardly scolded herself. _Jay loves hadara, get it through your thick skull._ For emphasis, she softly rapped her knuckles against her skull before sighing and shutting her eyes, going back to sleep and avoiding thinking about how she had stayed with Jay the whole time while his vision was being fixed while there was nobody near her at all.

:(

Cynthia slipped into Bree's room and she smiled at the sitting up brunette, "hey, how're you feeling?" she asked as she strode over to one of the visiting chairs and attempted to get comfortable in it.

Bree shrugged and wriggled her toes, "I can feel everything now, although I haven't tried moving anything besides what I could before."

Cynthia studied her for a moment before her blue eyes softened, "you had a conversation with Jay?"

Bree shrugged, "before we had the surgery done, yes."

"I'm so sorry I wasn't here before," Cynthia apologized as she sensed how Bree wanted to change the subject, "I've been confined to my room for the past week!"

"Why?" Bree asked curiously before it clicked, "you and Leon are horrible!" She laughed, "another one?"

Cynthia blushed, "yes, although Leon's driving me crazy with it being a boy."

Bree smiled, "he always wanted a boy didn't he?"

"Yeah," Cynthia chuckled, "he wants a boy who'll play catch with him and do all the other boy like stuff."

"You're lucky," Bree smiled, her amber eyes sad.

"I'm sorry," Cynthia said empathetically, "I'm guessing Jay told you about the engagement?"

Bree shook her head, "no, I just happened to have figured it out much earlier."

Cynthia opened her mouth to reply but the door swung open and Jay, Hadara, and Leon all walked in, Leon held Lixa in one arm and the little girl was holding onto a balloon with a smiley face on it, Jay had his hands in his pockets, and Hadara was carrying a small card.

"Hey Bree," Leon greeted warmly as he greeted the sister like woman before he looked at his daughter, "can you give that to Bree Lixa?"

Lixa nodded, "yeah!" she then dropped the balloon's weight into Bree's lap, making the balloon stay floating above Bree's lap.

Bree smiled, "thank you Lixa!"

Lixa smiled and buried her face in her father's strong chest.

Hadara smiled and put the card on Bree's bedside table, "hey Bree!" A glint of a gemstone caught Bree's eye.

Bree felt her lungs squeeze and she felt like she could barely breathe. _He did propose to her._ The greeting died on her tongue and she stayed silent, looking at Lixa's balloon and hiding behind a layer of curiosity.

Jay strode over and dropped another card in her lap, looking awkward and not sure what to do with her anymore.

Bree felt worse, this was why she hadn't wanted to say anything, now she wasn't his best friend, she was just another girl who was in love with him. "Nice ring Hadara!" she managed to say with cheer in her voice, "congratulations!"

"Thanks!" Hadara smiled widely, clearly very pleased with the engagement itself.

"Congrats jay!" Bree forced out the words and struggled with her tone, she felt numb, it hurt, it hurt more than when she had torn some of the nerves in her back. "Hadara's a lovely person!"

"Thanks, Bree, she sure is," Jay replied, his voice as curt as it was when he talked to any other person.

"I'm sure Bree's tired," Cynthia broke the silence, her blue eyes empathetic as she gazed at the oddly silent and hunched postured Bree, "We should probably leave-"

"I want to talk to her for a minute," Jay cut her off, "alone."

Reluctantly, Cynthia and Leon left with Hadara on their tail, the couple's movements extremely reluctant.

"You should go," Bree murmured as she pushed herself down slightly and laid down on her side, pulling the blankets up to her shoulders and shutting her eyes, "you don't want to keep Hadara waiting."

"I'm sorry Bree," Jay said quietly as he looked at her, unable to see her face and the tears once again pressing against her eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm tired Jay," Bree brushed him off and curled up into a ball, wrapping her arms around her knees and squeezing her eyes shut. "I just want to sleep."

Jay took the hint and left, guilt weighing heavily in his stomach. _I'm sorry Bree, I never wanted to hurt you._

:(

Bree left before she could finish the therapy, within a week of the surgery she returned to her apartment and packed up what little stuff she had brought with her before Holly gave her a ride to the airport where she would fly back to England in her wheelchair before she would finish the therapy there in England. Unable to handle any more of Hadara squealing about the wedding plans.

Bree looked up at the large doors in front of her. _Welcome back Bree, cause this is what you're going to be doing for who knows how long._


	25. Briarfeather, Uh Jay? You alright?

**_Snowcrystal of ThunderClan- it's okay, don't cry! Everything turns out okay in the end!_**

 ** _Sneak peek:_**

 _"_ _Jackson," Jay was startled by Bree's voice, including the hard edge in it, "don't you dare drag me into your mess." Everyone turned to look at the brunette who was leaning against the fence near the back of the house, and Jay found something strange, she was there but she wasn't at all dressed up, she was still in her earlier outfit of a hoodie, t-shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes all of which was streaked with what looked like motor oil. But she was here, and that was what mattered to Jay. "Jay has no feelings for me at all and Hadara is the one who said no, not the other way around." Bree continued coolly and didn't move from her spot leaning against the fence._

 _Jackson narrowed his eyes, "then he was lying."_

" _Why would Jay lie?" Bree pointed out, "you don't marry someone because you don't like them, Jackson." Jay's lips twitched into a small grin, this was a side of Bree he hadn't seen before, where she fought with the intellect she was gifted with, most of the time she was pretty laid back and ignored arguments, but this one seemed important. "Nor do you plant a digital bomb beneath a table and expect it to not go off."_

 _Jackson's eyes widened with surprise, how did she know about the bomb? Ignoring her comment about the bomb he argued with her, "He was going to say no anyway!"_

" _That's right, he was," Bree agreed as she straightened up and strode over to everyone else, "because Hadara's not in love with him, she's in love with you."_

 _Jackson frowned and glanced at a man in a suit at the corner of the crowd before he shot back a reply at Bree. "what do you mean?"_

" _Jay reminds her of you a lot, it's simple really." Bree shrugged._

" _Why're you here, you're not dressed up or anything!" Jackson shot back and glanced nervously at the man again._

" _Because I'm not here to participate in the wedding," Bree replied coolly, her amber eyes flickering over to the man that Jackson had been glancing at._

 _Jay looked confused as well, what is she doing?_

 _ **Acorn Leaf- It'll be okay, I promise! Half Moon ends up with Jay's Wing and Jayfeather ends up with Briarlight, so everything turns out alright! ^-^**_

 _ **So this is really really short, but I needed to update a chapter and I'm almost done with Emotional Roller Coaster's Sequel! :D :D Plus this is kinda funny! XD**_

 _Uh… Jay? You Alright? You Kinda Passed out…_

 _Bree, Jay, Holly- 23_

 _Cynthia, Leon- 22_

Bree's eyes widened and she blinked at Leah, her amber eyes full of shock at the older woman's words. "W-what?" She spluttered in confusion, "Leah, you can't be serious."

Leah's gentle smile widened at the couple who both had disabilities, "I'm dead serious Bree, you're nearly twelve weeks."

Bree seemed to think about it for a moment before she smiled, pushing away her shock to replace it with a giddiness that made her almost child-like with how excited she was. "That's great!" She squealed, amber eyes glittering with more than her usual cheer. "What do you think Jay?" She asked, looking up at her curt husband with curious and cheerful eyes. Her expression changed to worry at his unusually pale face and she changed her tone to be full of concern. "Jay? You alright?"

Jay's blind eyes were focused blankly in front of him and indeed he was whiter than a sheet, more nerves or shock Bree and Leah couldn't tell.

"Jay?" Bree asked again, starting to look a little spooked and highly concerned at Jay's strange behavior.

Jay made a strangled noise like he was trying to say something, his face still very white.

Bree's eyebrows rose, "I can't understand you," she said patiently before her eyes widened as Jay passed out and she let out a yelp as her amber eyes watered in pain.

The thin twenty-three-year-old lurched to one side and fell over on top of Bree, hitting his head rather hard on the handrail of one of her wheels while his torso was sprawled over Bree's lap.

Bree looked at Leah through Jay's fingers, one of his hands had slapped her in the face and stayed there. "Um… should we wake him up?" She asked in a slightly timid tone, clearly unnerved by his sudden passing out. "And is this normal?"

Leah chuckled, "it's perfectly normal Breanna, most new fathers do that so don't worry about it." Bree looked relieved and Leah's expression changed to be serious, "although we should worry about how hard he hit his head."

Bree sighed and subconsciously brushed her fingers through Jay's gray-speckled black hair while using her other hand to push his hand from her face, "he's got a skull harder than sheet metal!" She snorted. "We bumped heads a while back and I had a throbbing headache for three days! I think he'll be fine!" She then started giggling, "although he swore he wouldn't pass out like this if and when I managed to get pregnant!"

Leah's lips quirked into a smile and she chuckled a little more, "Looks like Leon's a little braver than his brother, since he actually helped Cynthia when he found out both times."

Bree just burst out laughing.

:) :) :)

"I'm fine Leah!" Jay snapped at Leah and swatted his aunt's penlight away from his face as she checked him for a concussion, "I didn't hit my head that hard!"

Bree broke off his complaining, "you hit your head pretty hard Jay! Can you please just let her look you over?" She asked in exasperation from where she was sitting in her wheelchair snuggled in his hoodie, which was too big for the smaller brunette. "The metal on my wheels aren't soft and squishy!"

"I know that!" Jay snapped back and wilted at Bree's sharp breath through her nose, a silent signal he had annoyed her to a small extent. "Fine, continue. But I swear I'm fine."

Leah rolled her eyes at his stubborn attitude and began to resume checking him for any signs of a concussion.

"Hey!" Leon slid into the examination room and plopped himself down into one of the visiting chairs in the room, "what did Jay do to give him a concussion?" He asked curiously, settling in the chair and looking at his brother with curiosity.

Bree hid her face by the sleeves of Jay's jacket with a snort of laughter, her shoulders starting to shake from her laughter.

"Don't you dare Bree!" Jay shot at the giggling brunette, directing his blind gaze toward her direction. "Don't you dare tell him! And I don't have a concussion!" He exclaimed indignantly.

"Woah, there's no need to yell," Cynthia huffed as she slid into the room as well, she and Leon's two kids, Flynx -their six-month-old son- and Lixa -their three-year-old daughter,- were oddly absent. "If you hit your head on anything of Bree's wheelchair you probably do have a concussion, Jay," she pointed out.

"I don't have a concussion!" Jay snapped irritably and clenched his hands into fists, "Breanna Don't tell them!" He snapped at Bree who was about to reveal what Jay had done to nearly give him a concussion.

"Don't call me Breanna!" Bree shot back at him indignantly, the laughter draining from her body, "and you're tempting me too!"

"Please don't!" Jay pleaded with her, widening his blue eyes as an attempt to sooth his companion's anger and keep her from telling his brother and sister-in-law about his passing out.

Laughter filled Bree's eyes and she started to giggle once more. She didn't reveal anything though, probably not wanting to embarrass Jay anymore than he already was.

Leah clicked off her penlight, tucked it into her breast pocket and smiled at her youngest nephew and his wife, "Bree just found out she's pregnant and Jay passed out a few moments after I told Bree."

For a few moments, it was silent as Jay's face flushed with embarrassment and mortification. Then Leon grinned at his brother, stood up, and slapped him on the back, "What took you so long? You've been taking a super long time to actually have any kids Jay!" He grinned, leaned closer to his brother, and spoke in a low tone, "are you that awkward or something? Cause it can't be Bree's fault, she's too excited to try everything and anything."

Jay spluttered indignantly, "I'm not awkward you blonde haired brick!"

Leon frowned at the nicknamed but raised his hands in surrender before snickering slightly, "you passed out when she told you?"

Cynthia rolled her eyes at the pair of brothers and hauled her body into a squatting position before hugging Bree, "Congrats Bree, it's wonderful news!"

Bree giggled and returned Cynthia's warm but slightly awkward embrace, with the latter woman's five-month pregnant belly. "A few months behind yours, isn't that funny?"

"Shut it, Leon!" Jay snapped at his brother, making the two girls respectively sigh and mumbled under their breath, "not all of us are incapable of being thoughtful and not impulsive!"

Cynthia looked sharply up at Jay and she pushed herself to her feet, standing next to the slightly hurt Leon. She opened her mouth to snap back at him, but to her surprise, Jay apologized on his own.

"Sorry," Jay mumbled and averted his blind gaze away from their direction, he could feel Bree's disapproving gaze on him, which was why he apologized in the first place. "That was rude."

Leon cracked a grin and affectionately nudged his brother, "it's all good, I had to give you a bit of crap for passing out, you know that."

"I am well aware," Jay grunted irritably.


	26. Story of The HoloWatch(sequel to chap 24

_**SiverstarofOceanClan- I did! Finally! XD (I swear, writing is so much easier when I'm in school! XD)**_

 _ **Don't die! *pats you on the back* then you can't read the last part! XD**_

 _ **I don't mind people bugging me, it motivates me to finish the chapter ^ _^**_

 _ **Whalee- Jay is pretty ridiculous sometimes ^-^**_

 _ **Well it's finally up! After what feels like forever! XD**_

 _ **Expellarmus- Auh man! I completely didn't see the last part of your review!(T T) Of course I'd love to help! :D If you're still in that situation I'd love to try and give you some advice ^-^ Auh, I think my stories are decent and I'm glad you like them! I love writing them, it's my favorite hobbie! ^-^**_

 _ **Inkie Ermanillie- I'm sorry it took so long! I tried to make it longer to make the wait worth it! Let me know if you think it was worth the wait!**_

 _ **Hazelflight- Finli is Fallenleaves, sorry if it's not clear ^_^'**_

* * *

 _ **IT'S FINALLY DONE! XD After what feels like forever I'm finally done with the last part of the "I Can See" Trilogy! :D :D :D It's taken a long time and it's taken a lot of thinking, but it's done! I hope you all enjoy this and I hope it was worth the wait! :D**_

 _The Story Of The HoloWatch_

 _(Emotional Roller Coaster Sequel, Last In The "I Can See" Trilogy)_

"Jay," Bree rolled her eyes as she looked at her husband who was pretending to lose the pillow war he was having with their daughter Catie, "it is past eight thirty, can you please quit fooling around and put her to bed?" She sighed, while she loved watching Jay get out of his grumpiness and play around childishly with their daughter, she didn't want to deal with a grouchy seven-year-old while Jay was gone at work tomorrow.

Jay gave a grunt of annoyance, "ugh, fine." He mumbled and scooped up Catie before he gave Bree a kiss on the cheek and started trudging back to Catie's room. "Bedtime Butterfly," he told the young child as he placed her down on her bed, "If you don't then the tickle monster will come!" He grouched with a slight playful tone in his voice as he wiggled his fingers.

Catie giggled, "No! I'm not tired!"

Jay cracked a smile and started tickling her, "then the tickle monster is going to tickle you!"

Catie burst out laughing and rolled away from her father's hold before gripping one of his wrists. Her laughter faded as Jay stopped tickling her and as she looked at the old, battered and beat up, HoloWatch. "Daddy?" She asked as Jay tucked her into her fluffy blankets, "Tell me a story, please?"

Jay mock groaned and plopped down on the floor next to the bed, leaning back against the wall behind him. "What story Catie?"

"Tell me the story of that!" Catie smiled and pointed at his old HoloWatch.

Jay looked at the watch and his eyes softened, "alright, but you better go to sleep right after or your mother will kill us both."

Catie giggled and nodded vigorously.

Jay unbuckled the holowatch from around his wrist and handed it to his daughter. "Alright, the first thing you need to know is that Mom and I weren't together yet, and I was engaged with a completely different girl."

Catie gasped and her icy blue eyes widened to dinner plates, "you were getting married to someone who's not mama?"

Jay nodded with a faint smile at his daughter's wide eyes and stunned expression, "yes, I was engaged to a lovely girl named Hadara, but of course, your mother was my best friend at the time and still is. At the time I thought that Hadara was perfect for me, quiet, gentle tempered, and logical-"

"What about mama?"

"Your mother was my best friend, she was and still is very beautiful, funny, excitable -which she rubbed on on you with-" Jay bopped his daughter on the nose and continued, "darn near perfect, and a brilliant inventor. If only I hadn't been blind for so many years."

"But you're not blind now!" Catie smiled at her father, "and you married mama and had me and Cody!"

Jay cracked another smile, "yes, I did marry your mother and we now have you two bundles or craziness. But that's not what this story is about, this story is about the holowatch and how I got it." He settled into a more comfortable position. "It all started with the rush to plan everything for the wedding which was a mere month and a half away. I thought it was going to be a very casual and normal every day wedding, but little did I know that Hadara's ex. Fiancé would show up and highjack the entire thing-"

"Wait," Catie cut her father off, "who's the ex. Fiancé?" She stumbled over the last word.

Jay sighed, sightly annoyed at the interruption of his storytelling. "Jackson, his name was Jackson, and I still don't particularly like him. Anyway, everything started going downhill when I met Jackson…"

:) :) :) :)

Jay narrowed his baby blue eyes, "I'm Jay, Hadara's fiance." He introduced himself to the other man his age who looked remarkably like him.

"I'm Jackson," the man shook Jay's hand a little firmly. "I used to be engaged to Hadara."

Jay tensed slightly, _What?_ He saw Hadara's blue eyes widen slightly out of the corner of his eye and furrowed his eyebrows slightly. "It's a pleasure." He grunted out loud, doubt and confusion burrowing its way into his heart. _I need help._

:( :(

"Hmm… Hey Lion?" Bree called to her AI, "what do you think is the probability of this thing working?" She was currently working on a holographic watch, an invention she hoped would let her retire without having to keep working for the rest of her life.

:) :) :)

"Mama's in the story?!" Catie gasped in surprise, her blue eyes lighting up at the mentioning of role model of a mother.

Jay sighed, feeling a little irritated by the constant interruptions, "Yes Catie, your mother's in the story. After all," he smiled slightly, "she gave me the holowatch." With his daughter throughly stunned, he continued with the story.

:) :) :)

"I'm not sure," L.I.O.N's slightly southern accented voice replied smoothly, "maybe a ninety percent chance?"

"Huh, that's rather high-!"

The t.v hooked up to her phone flickered to life, revealing Jay. "Bree, I need your help."

"AH!" Bree yelped and scrambled backward before tripping and landing flat on her back out of Jay's line of sight. "That's going to leave a mark!" She groaned and used the table to push herself back to her feet. Her head popped out above the table and she looked up at Jay, ignoring the painful feeling of her chest getting squeezed and her heart clenching at the sight of the man who despite his engagement to another, she still loved after nearly fourteen years.

"Are you okay Bree?" L.I.O.N asked concernedly as his blue scanner started oscillating from side to side.

"I'm okay Lion! What do you need my help with Jay?" Bree asked as she moved to sit down in her swivel chair.

"Hadara has an ex. Fiance."

Bree slipped from her chair and crashed to the ground again. "Son of a turtle!" the inventor swore as she got back up, her tailbone stinging rather painfully. "Can't you give me a warning next time? Actually, don't answer that!" She carefully sat back down in her chair and looked back up at Jay, "so Hadara was previously engaged?"  
"Yeah," Jay replied, studying his friend who had hadn't seen much of for nearly two years.

"Well that's an issue!" Bree admitted and carefully pressed the power button her holographic watch. "What am I supposed to do? I live in england remember?" She then pouted as the device sparked and promptly fell apart in her hands. "Lion!" She complained to the AI super car parked at the back of the room, "you said it had a ninety percent chance of working!"

"Well I didn't account for your two falls," L.I.O.N said apologetically, "sorry."

Bree just groaned and swept all of the pieces into a container before putting the lid on it and labeling it holowatch.

"I don't know," Jay admitted, "but I really need your help."

"How do you know I won't sabotage it?" Bree asked dryly as she stood up and jogged over to one of the white shelving units that covered the white walls.

"Because you're my best friend?" Jay suggested.

Bree sighed and leaned up on her toes before pushing the holowatch container into an empty slot. "I guess… when do you need me there? I'm taking Lion."

"As soon as possible." Jay said, his blue eyes slightly scared. "I don't know what to do."

Bree's amber eyes softened, "I'll be there as soon as possible."

:)

Jay's phone buzzed and it jerked him awake with a start. Jay grumbled under his breath and scooped up his phone, "hello?" He grunted grumpily and groggily.

"Hey," Bree's voice filtered through the phone, she sounded almost dead, her voice was so tired that Jay was startled to find that there was no traces of excitement in her voice at all. "I'm finally here in the city."

Jay glanced over at his alarm clock and squinted slightly, despite his vision being fixed, his vision wasn't perfect and he was slightly near sighted. His eyebrows rose in surprise, it was two in the morning here in california. "How long have you been driving?" Jay asked in surprise, his voice groggy and surprised.

"Four days and and three hours ish?..." Bree yawned, he could hear the wide yawn that displayed how tired she was.

:) :) :)

"Wow… Mama really loved you!" Catie breathed, her eyes wide with surprise and appreciation for her mother."

"Yes, she sure did, and still does," Jay cracked a smile before continuing, "The shocking thing was it had only been four days and seven hours since I have talked to her…"

:) :) :)

"But It's only been four days and some hours since I talked to you." Jay responded as he sat up and pushed the blankets off of his body before swinging his legs over the edge of his bed.

"I left right after we talked," Bree said, her voice even more tired and now held a hint of drowsiness. "Lion, find a place to park and darken the window tint." She added with another yawn.

"Of course," L.I.O.N spoke with a little worry in his voice, "but are you sure you don't to stay in a hotel or something? You haven't had much sleep since we left the house days ago."

"I'll be fine," Bree sleepily reassured the AI and Jay heard the sound of cloth shifting against leather, "I can handle a few more hours in here Lion."

"I'm still not sure if it's a good idea Bree," L.I.O.N gently urged his creator, "you're running on three hours of sleep in four days."

"I'd rather not have to pay for a place to stay," Bree pointed out to her AI, "plus I'm trying to get enough money to finish your auto control system remember?"

Jay felt a little guilty and spoke, "Bree, you can come stay with me for the night," he said, his voice slightly nervous, "there's space."

"Nah, I'd rather not impose," Bree responded in a drowsy voice, "I'm okay with staying with Lion."

"I insist." Jay insisted stubbornly, she had gotten here as fast as she could to help him, he could let her stay with him while she was busy helping him.

"I agree with Jay," L.I.O.N spoke, his voice slightly apprehensive, "I don't normally, but I agree with him this time, it'll be better if you sleep stretched out than cramped in here."

"Fine," Bree gave in, too tired to deal with them.

:)

Jay jogged down the steps from his apartment dressed in sweatpants, a light blue t-shirt, and white socks with his blue rimmed glasses on.

L.I.O.N pulled into the parking lot, Jay could see Bree sitting at the driver's seat, her clothing was ruffled, hair was a little messy, and her amber eyes were closed, evidently now asleep. "Be careful with my creator Jay," L.I.O.N warned the man, his blue scanner oscillating from side to side. "You've hurt her enough."

Jay's blue eyes flashed with a little guilt as he picked up the sleeping woman his age, "I know," he said in a guilty mumble.

"Please don't break her again," the AI pleaded. "I don't want her more hurt."

:( :( :(

Jay woke up to his phone buzzing and grunted before he slapped the device, "hello?" He greeted with a grunt of a complaint.

"Hey Jay," Hadara cheerfully greeted him, effectively ruining his mood with the reminder of the stuff he had going on. "You ready for the planning this afternoon?"

"Yeah," Jay lied through his teeth as he sat up, shoved on his glasses, and started down the hallway of his flat. The planning meetings were incredibly boring and he still wasn't sure about what had happened and was happening with her and Jackson, not to mention the whole thing was basically Hadara's and not his.

"You don't sound very excited."

"Sorry Hadara," Jay apologized as he entered the living room and dining room of his flat, intention of finding something to eat before he had to deal with the rest of the world. "I'm just tired."

"That's okay," Hadara's voice was warm, "you're never been a morning person."

 _Most of the time anyway._ Jay said inwardly to himself as he brushed a few things off of his table.

"Well I better let you go do your morning ritual, do you want me to come pick you up for the planning meeting at noon? Leon and Cynthia are providing lunch."

Jay stifled a yawn and looked over at the clock above his stove which read eight thirty. _Holy StarClan, who wakes up at eight thirty on a Saturday?!_ "No, I have a ride."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'll be there."

"Bye Jay, have a good morning and I'll see you at the meeting right?"

"Yes Hadara, I'll be at the meeting." Jay rolled his eyes.

"Kay, bye!"

"Bye." Jay then hung up and tucked his phone into his shorts pocket and glanced over at where Bree was asleep on the tan colored microfiber couch out in the living room before he continued into the kitchen. _I'll wake her up later._ He decided before rummaging through his cupboards for something to eat.

After twenty encruating minutes, Jay eventually decided on a cereal, feeling too lazy to do anything else that early in the morning. He settled down at the dining room table with the cereal and a good book, which he propped up against the table centerpiece, something Holly refused to let him get rid of. After about ten minutes of reading his book and slowly munching on his cereal, his attention strayed to where Bree was sprawled haphhazardly on the couch.

Bree was lying on her stomach with her legs bent at the knee and flopped over on the lower part of the couch; the creamy colored blanket was tangled around the sleeping inventor's body. One arm was hanging off of the couch, the other was curled around the pillow above her head, and her head was mostly hiding between two throw pillows so only her dark brown hair was visible along with one of her cheeks.

:)

Jay had settled down at the table with a second bowl of cereal when Bree woke up, the usually hyper woman grouchy at it being morning.

In a fashion that was familiar to both of them, Bree found a spoon, swiped Jay's bowl, and plopped down at the table across from him, her amber eyes drowsy and about a quarter of the way shut. This was something the two friends had done since they started high school, and the tradition carried on past their years of schooling it seemed.

:) :) :)

"Morning Mama!" Catie giggled, "Mama's always grumpy in the morning!"

Jay chuckled alongside his daughter, feeling rather imersed in the story itself, "Bree can be pretty grumpy in the mornings, which is displayed perfectly in the next part of the story…"

:) :) :)

Jay rolled his eyes and put his spoonful in his mouth while continuing to read his book. Once he swallowed and started tapping the spoon on the table he spoke a greeting to the grouchy and drowsy woman that was his best friend. "Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine." He grunted with amusement in his voice.

"Shut up," Bree mumbled around her spoonful of Jay's cereal that she had taken from him, "I'm tired."

"I can tell." Jay rolled his eyes again and stole a spoonful of cereal from his stolen bowl. "That cereal is mine." He grumbled a few moments later while casually reading his book.

"Not anymore." Bree mumbled around her spoonful of the cereal, her amber eyes twinkling with slight mischief beneath the grogginess. "It's mine now."

Jay sighed and just got himself another bowl, a small grumpy smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he did so and watching Bree out of the corner of his eye.

Bree noticed him looking at her and raised her eyebrows, amber eyes twinkling cheerfully, her spoon in her mouth upside down.

Jay couldn't help the tiny smile that emerged and he rolled his eyes at his friend as he went back to the table with his new bowl of cereal. It was nice having Bree around again, he mused as he grumpily poked Bree in the nose with his spoon as a warning to stay away from his cereal -which she promptly tried to bite- his best friend was back and strangely he couldn't be happier.

:) :) :) :)

"Oh my StarClan Jay!" Bree exclaimed as she waited for him to finally be ready to go to the meeting, "you're slower than a snail!" She giggled as she watched him glare at her while trying to button up the buttons on the dark blue polo-shirt he was wearing.

Jay just grunted and continued struggling with the buttons.

Bree rolled her eyes affectionately before she strode over and pushed a black belt into his hands, "put that on."

"I don't know if you noticed Bree, but I'm trying to button up my shirt!" Jay shot back with a small glare.

"I'm well aware of that!" Bree rolled her eyes again as she swatted his hands away from the buttons and did them herself, helping the scatter brained man that was her best friend. "Just put on the belt will you?" She sighed exasperation.

Jay huffed indignantly but held his tongue and put the belt through the belt loops of his gray colored jeans, trying to ignore how close Bree was to him and how the inventor smelt like crushed pine needles and faintly of ozone. Which was weird, since she worked with metal and electricity on a daily basis. Well, the ozone made sense, the pine didn't, at all. The hairs on his neck prickled as she adjusted his collar and her fingers brushed against his neck. _What's going on?_

Bree on the other hand seemed completely unfazed by their close proximity and instead seemed quite calm and energetic. She was just really good at hiding her emotions these days, and while she felt like she could both hardly breathe and think straight, she showed none of it. Even though she wanted to close her eyes and just stay there for a while, simply breathing his icy and earthy scent. "Do you need a tie?" She asked casually as she took a few steps back and studied him under a scrutinizing gaze, her hands on her hips as she did so.

"No." Jay grunted grumpily, "I don't need a tie."

"Alrighty then!" Bree smiled and clapped once, "let's get going then!"

:) :) :) :)

Bree smiled widely at everyone as she and Jay stepped out of L.I.O.N who was currently in his usual silver sports car form. "Hi!" She smiled and rushed over to Hadara before she gave the bride a giant hug, "how's it going?" She asked in a bubbly tone, her amber eyes bright and lively.

Hadara looked surprised to see Bree, and even more surprised to see the expensive looking sports car that she had with her. "Perfect," she smiled, her blue eyes a little stressed and worried, which Bree picked up on right away. "Everything's going perfectly."

Bree released her and smiled, "awesome!" She chirped excitably as she discreetly observed Hadara's body languge. _Tense, worried, confused, conflicted, and stressed. Something's definitely going on here, and I plan on figuring out what._

Hadara smiled weakly, "how come you're here? I thought you were in england?"

Bree smiled and "branished" her invite, "well, for one thing, I'm invited, and number two, I can't miss my best friend's wedding!"

Hadara's shoulders relaxed in relief, clearly she thought that Bree was here to mess everything up.

:) :) :)

Bree shut her eyes and leaned back against the wall, the pain in her amber eyes hidden from everyone by both her position and where she was in the house. The planning meeting had been torture for the amber eyed woman, and she swore that she wouldn't do this if she ever got married, it caused too much stress and was irritating! Bree's heart gave another stab of pain like someone was stabbing her with a knife. It was even worse with Bree's feelings for Jay, while she insistantly pushed them away and succeeded in keeping her opinions all non biased, it still hurt every time she saw Hadara's engagement ring. _I wish I could just forget about my feelings, it would be so much easier for both me and Jay._ She took a few deep breaths, _I'm here to help Jay plan his wedding and fix his relationship with Hadara, nothing more._ She stiffened as it finally hit her, _oh my StarClan, I'm helping plan Jay's wedding!_ Bree slid to be sitting down on the floor with her knees to her chest and squeezed her eyes shut while covering her face in her hands, if felt like her lungs were compressing themselves, she couldn't breathe.

After everything she had done, fixing his vision, defending him from everyone's gossip and bullying through their childhood and teenage years, boosting his confidence through the years when it was low, dedicating part of her life to fixing his vision to make him happy, and giving him everything she could, it didn't do anything to push him to see what she felt nor act on it. Now, she was helping him plan his wedding with a woman who had never seen Jay as his own person not at all related to Jackson, and she was sealing away her feelings forever despite how much it would always hurt. _Why did I do this to myself?_ She wondered as she still couldn't breathe with the weight of what she was doing finally hit her, _I got involved with something I never wanted to be involved in when I'm not the girl, why did I do this to myself?!_ For a few moments she struggled before suddenly she released the breath she was holding and could finally breathe again, _because I want him to be happy._ She thought slightly sadly, _I want him to be as happy as possible, and even though it's not me he's marrying, he's happy with Hadara… or at least I hope he is._ Bree lifted her face from her hands and leaned her head back against the wall with her eyes closed, _there's so much drama going on right now that I really do wish I was back home in England inventing things, it would be so much easier._

"Bree, I detect fluxations in your pulse and breathing, is everything alright?" L.I.O.N asked softly through her digital watch, his slightly southern accented voice was full of concern, "we can always return home if this is affecting your health."

"I'm fine Lion," Bree sighed softly, "it just barely hit me what I'm doing, that's all."

"Alright, but be careful, I don't want you hurt," L.I.O.N spoke slightly timidly.

"I will be," Bree reassured him, "I'm just… getting used to seeing him again."

"I won't let him hurt you again."

"Thanks, Lion," Bree smiled slightly, "I appreciate it."

"Your welcome Bree."

:( :( :(

Bree rubbed her forehead, _Ugh, if I ever get married I am never going through all of this planning and crap, it's exhausting!_ After a week of planning meetings, Bree was tempted to throw in the towel and leave Jay to figure out the wedding while she turned tail and just about ran back to her home in England. _Of course sleeping on the couch in Jay's apartment doesn't help._ She sighed, after two years of falling asleep in her comfortable AI L.I.O.N or sleeping in her bedroom at her house -which was a water bed simply because Bree's mother had bugged her till she bought it- which made sleeping on Jay's couch more uncomfortable than she would ever admit to her friend. So she didn't really get any restful sleep, a lot of her sleeping was twisting and turning to relieve the pressure on her lower back which constantly ached even after the surgery to fix her spine. "Lion, remind me to never get married," she groaned as she let her arms drop for a few moments before she attempted to stretch her back, "and sleep on the couch again."

"Of course Bree, I'll do that." L.I.O.N responded before mischief leaked into the AI's tone, "but are you sure you'll never get married?"

"Ugh, if it requires all of this rushing around, then yes, I'm sure!"

"Alright, I will make sure to remind you. The whole couch thing, however, I can't help with."

Bree groaned, "I'd rather sleep inside your cabin, it is soo much more comfortable than Jay's couch."

"Hm… maybe you could sleep next to him instead?"

Bree's face heated up rather quickly and she walked a little faster, "no way, he's engaged Lion! Are you insane?!"

"I may be, do you want to check? But I don't see why it's a bad idea, I mean, you're best friend's right?"

"Yes Lion, we're very close best friends, but he is engaged to another girl and I really don't want to have any issues with Hadara." Bree deadpanned, "an angry bride is not something I need to deal with right now."

"Just talk to them, I'm sure they'd understand, after all, technically you can say it's because of your injury right?"

Bree groaned, "I'm fine Lion, I can deal with the couch for a few more weeks." Although the red in her cheeks drained at the thought.

"Okay, only if you say so."

"Thank you."

:)

"You're stiff." Jay commented later that evening as he noticed how Bree was sitting with a near perfect posture and wasn't sitting in her usual half slouched position, a habit she had developed from being in a wheelchair for so long and having a broken spine.

"Hmm?" Bree said and didn't look up from the book she was reading while they both ate dinner, her book in one hand, her fork in the other.

"Your back is hurting," Jay elaborated and reached over before he pushed her book closed, "right?"

Bree sighed and put both the book and her fork down, "alright, you caught me, my back's been bothering me. Your couch is like sleeping on top of rocks!"

"You could've just told me," Jay said curtly with an affectionate roll of his eyes, "I would've done something about it."

"And that is?"

"That lumpy couch has a pullout."

"And you didn't tell me why?" Bree grumbled, a little miffed.

"Because it doesn't fit out in the living room." Jay explained patiently, "but if we move it into my office, which you have already taken over as a tinker room, you can use the pullout and have a 'room'." He made air quotes around the last word.

"You make a good deal," Bree smiled, "That would be preferable!"

"Good." Jay grunted and picked up his fork with the intention to continue eating his pasta. _**(Yeah I really like pasta XD)**_

"We're talking to Hadara and Jackson tomorrow," Bree said casually as she opened up her book and started reading again, "I already arranged it because I know you wouldn't be able to."

Jay felt doubt flutter in his stomach from the idea of the whole conversation, but he ignored it and thanked his friend. "Thanks, Bree."

"You're welcome."

:) :) :)

Bree couldn't help but feel a little aprehensive as she and Jay stepped out of L.I.O.N in front of a small house that was Hadara's, this was going to be a conversation that she wasn't going to like. She felt a little jealousy as Jay knocked on the door before he inserted a key and unlocked the front door. _He's got a key, of course he's got a key. My house is bigger._ She mentally added, feeling a little childish for the breif second before she buried her jealousy and focused on helping Jay.

"Hadara? Jackson? You guys here?" Jay called gruffly, his voice rather curt and Bree could detect a hint of insecurity in his voice.

Bree touched the small of his back as a way of alerting him to let her take over and as a way of reminding him that he wasn't alone. "Hey Hadara! Where are you?"

"We're in the kitchen!" Hadara called back and emerged from around a corner, wiping her hands on a small towel, "Jackson's in the living room, ready to talk?" She asked rather nervously.

Bree smiled reassuringly at the blonde, "yep! We're ready to talk!"

Hadara smiled weakly at them both before she led them to her living room.

After the three of them had settled into the couch cushions Hadara took a deep breath and spoke. "Six years ago after Bree left to her engineering college and made Jay mopey, I moved back to Germany and back to my home country. There I met Jackson again for the first time since I rejected his proposal when I was nineteen." she took a shuddery breath, "I've known Jackson since I was three years old, he was my best friend for many years till I had to move here when I was sixteen where I met Jay. Jay reminded me of him, he had the same eye color, personality, and even the stray gray hairs in her black hair. Jackson was more arrogant and talkative, but Jay was softer, and I liked it." Hadara said quietly, "I fell in love with Jay because at first he reminded me so much of the best friend I had lost-"

"So you don't love me for who I am?" Jay asked, his voice a little harsh.

Bree quickly nudged him slightly, "she's not finished Jay," she murmured, "let her finish."

Jay grunted in disagreement but fell silent to allow Hadara to finish speaking.

As Hadara delved into the full details of the story, Jay grew more and more withdrawn till the point that his eyes furrowed into a heavy confused and hurt scowl.

Silence reigned once Hadar finished her tail, everyone waiting anxiously for Jay to respond in some shape or form.

"I… I need time to think," Jay mumbled as he shot to his feet and stuffed his feet into his tennis shoes, vaguely listening to Hadara as he did so.

"Jay, please understand!"

"Give him time Hadara," Bree's voice was rather cool and calm as she spoke in serious tone, "you gave him a lot to think about, give him at least the rest of the day to figure everything out."

Jay felt a flash of gratitude for his best friend as he left the house and started toward the docks for no apparent reason besides that he was confused and over all hurt.

:(

Jay heard familiar footsteps on the wooden docks about half an hour later and he didn't have to look to see who it was, the soft and slightly uneven footsteps gave it away, along with the white and blue tennis shoes that adorned the person's feet and the light colored capris.

"Why do I always find you thinking in the weirdest places?" The person joked, her voice was as light hearted and as cheerful as ever despite what was going on and despite her hyper and excited front, Jay knew that the wedding was tearing her apart in the inside.

"Because being normal is boring Bree," Jay grunted as a reply and watched his companion unlace her tennis shoes and pull them and her socks off out of the corner of his vision.

"That's true!" Bree laughed and scooted forward toward the edge of the docks before putting her feet and ankles in the water before swinging her legs slightly, a habit that Jay hadn't seen since her accident back when they had been thirteen which felt like a really long time ago. "Being normal can be really boring!" She looked over at him and spoke again, her voice rather calm and intelligent rather than hyper and cheerful. "What's bothering you this time Jay-Jay?"

Jay gave an inaudible snort at the nickname before he thought of a reply for a few moments, he wasn't sure if he still wanted to go through with the wedding, he looked so much like Jackson that it was scary, and now that he had found out that he reminded Hadara of him that that's why she had first approached him and developed feelings for him, he wasn't sure if Hadara really loved him for who he was and not for the similarities between him and Jackson. But if he didn't, he would be disappointing hundreds of people and smashing his own heart in the process. Not that his heart wasn't cracked already, it had hurt hearing Hadara compare him to Jackson and how she avoided the other questions. Sometimes he wished people were more like the woman sitting next to him, not focused on themselves, eager to help everyone, be a good listener, and be patient. "Hadara and Jackson." He eventually said, looking over the lake with the confusion and hurt gleaming in his eyes visible.

"Ah," Bree gave a sound of understanding before she actually spoke, "do you want to talk about it?"

Jay almost said no but he changed his mind when he remembered that this was Bree, she wouldn't judge him for anything that he was feeling, if anything she would try to help him. "Okay." he sighed slightly reluctantly.

:(

After Jay's splurge of information and Bree's gentle attempts of comforting him, it was quiet between the two of them, both mulling over what they had learned from each other and wondering what they were going to do with this situation.

Jay looked over at Bree and studied her for a few moments before he asked her a question on impulse, feeling like he was virtually unlovable with the whole Hadara and Jackson thing. "Do you still love me?" He asked her quietly, any traces of curtness lacking from his tone.

Bree looked startled at his question but she didn't hesitate in her answer, having probably sensed that he needed the answer as something or other. "Of course I do," she responded, her voice sincere. "I'm always going to love you Jay, one way or another," she smiled, amber eyes softening at the vulnerable gleam of his blue eyes, "no matter what happens or what you do Jay," she leaned slightly closer, her tone as sincere as her eyes and her body language, "I will always love you for who you are."

Jay nodded slightly and looked back out at the lake, feeling a little reassured that someone else he held dearly didn't mistake him for someone else.

:) :( :) :( :)

"Bree?" Jay asked as he sat up completely and looked at the inventor who was curled up with a book on the other side of the couch. "Do you ever wish that I never met Hadara?"

Bree hesitated, mulling over the question for a few moments before she spoke. "No, wishing that you never met Hadara would be like never building Lion."

Jay looked at her with slight surprise, "so you've never wished that I never met her?"

Bree turned the page of her book, "once, or twice, but never in a full coherent thought or wish."

"Why?" Jay asked in confusion, she was in love with him right? Then why didn't she wish that he had never met Hadara?

"Because I know, well knew," Bree corrected herself before she casually looked up at him, her amber eyes gentle and as cheerful as ever, "she made you happy, and that's what mattered to me." She then looked back down at her book and continued reading as if saying that came up in a normal everyday conversation.

Jay settled back against the cushions, thinking about Bree's answer. For a little while, it was quiet besides the sounds of pages turning, the duo's soft breathing, and the quiet sounds of the t.v. Jay was the one who broke the silence. "You make me happy too," he said a bit gruffly, in his usual way of hiding his awkwardness.

"Thanks, Jay," Bree smiled at him and the two of them fell silent once more, but the silence was comfortable rather than awkward.

:) :) :) :)

"So…" Jay said as he looked at Bree from across the dining table as they were eating lunch, "what should I do about the wedding?"

"What do you mean?" Bree asked in return as she looked up from her current book.

"Well, what am I supposed to do?

Bree looked startled before she responded thoughtfully, "I don't know Jay, it's really up to you. Afer all," she shrugged, "it's also your wedding."

"How does that help me may I ask?" Jay huffed irritably.

"It doesn't," Bree shrugged, her amber eyes focused on his blue ones, "but this is a decision I can't make for you. If you want to marry Hadara than marry her, if not, well, you decide." She smiled at him, "you'll make the right decision, you always do."

:( :( :(

"Bree," L.I.O.N's voice startled the silently tinkering inventor, "I'm picking up on something strange near the rehearsal."

"What do you mean?" Bree asked distractedly from where she was sprawled in the front seat of his cabin with a small partially taken apart device in her lap and hands. It was helping distract her till the rehearsal was finished and she could bring Jay back to his apartment.

"I'm picking up the chemical signature of some kind of explosive along with consistent electrical pulses usually found in digital timers."

Bree sat up abruptly, "do a sonar sweep of the yard, search for the location of the electrical pulses!" she exclaimed while she clambered over into the passenger's seat and yanked the glove box open to reveal a bunch of miscellaneous tools.

"It's located under Jay's table," L.I.O.N responded a few moments later and Bree's heart almost stopped.

 _Jay!_

:O

Jay's mind was wandering throughout the rehearsal, this was incredibly boring, he decided, feeling super bored. The entire time he was practically being led along throughout the entire thing like an oblivious puppy. He adjusted the position of his glasses on his nose, trying to briefly reign in his attention. However, his glasses nearly fell off when he jolted due to the backyard door being flung open.

"Move!" Bree exclaimed as she ran toward the table, panic in her amber eyes, "Jay don't move! Everyone else get away from the table!"

Jay froze, whenever there was panic in Bree's eyes and she was almost yelling, there was always something wrong. "You heard her! Move!" he quickly urged, "move it!"

Hadara and the other six at the table scrambled away from the table as Bree ran toward them.

"Bree, five seconds!" L.I.O.N's voice was projected from her watch and his position near the fence.

Bree threw herself into a slide, sliding harshly across the wet grass that extended the distance she went. "Come on, come on!" she hissed as she disconnected it from the table and wrapped the bomb in a ball like thing.

For Hadara it was in slow motion, as Bree scrambled out from under the table and to her feet, and barely a few moments later the bomb detonated. Bree was knocked off her feet and into another table with a loud _smash!_

Bree was now lying on her back on the ground looking quite stunned with the bomb encased clear ball full of smoke so dark it looked black. "Ow…" She moaned in pain from her position sprawled on the broken table she had landed on.

:O :O :O

"I'm probably going to leave before that ceremony because I have a few deadlines to catch," Bree told Hadara and Jay as she reemerged from 'her room' the next evening with two identical boxes in her hands, one was baby blue and the other was a soft green. "So I thought I'd give these to you now instead." She offered the blue one to Jay and the green one to Hadara, "it's a wedding present."

Jay gave her a sharp look.

"And I don't want them back, so no matter what happens don't give them back to me alright?" Bree finished, working harder to keep up her calm facade. When Hadara and Jay hesitated she smiled wider and urged them on, "go on, open them."

Jay did as Bree asked, carefully pulling the bow ribbon undone before he pulled the top off of the box and promptly froze. Nestled in the light blue velvet was a HoloWatch, something Jay had only seen once, in fact, this one was the one he saw fall apart after he had surprised her a few times during that video call where he asked for her help.

"What's this?" Hadara asked softly, picking up the silver faced, white edged HoloWatch that had a jade green woven wrist band out of her box.

"You didn't have to…" Jay said quietly as he picked up his silver faced, dark gray edged HoloWatch that had a navy blue leather wristband out of his box.

Bree swallowed the growing lump in her throat, this was hard, giving up her prized invention to the couple that she planned on never seeing again face to face if the wedding went through. "These are HoloWatches, these two watches are the first devices that have holographic technology, even I don't have one yet." Bree took another deep breath, "the watches you two are holding are ten years of blueprints and designs, five years of prototypes, and hundreds of thousands of dollars, all put into the finished products you are holding right now."

Hadara looked stunned, "you didn't have to do this Bree, you shouldn't have to give these to us."

Bree stopped Jay from agreeing with Hadara as he opened his mouth, "I wanted to," she said firmly, "you two deserve these, and you can't give them back to me, they're programmed for each of you."

"Why are you giving these to us Bree?" Jay asked softly, his blue eyes confused.

Bree's calm facade cracked and tears mistied her amber eyes as she spoke in a thick voice. "Because while you aren't marrying me Jay, you and Hadara deserve the best, and this is as much as I can give you two." She cleared her throat but the mistiness of her eyes didn't change, "The holowatches have all of the pictures I have taken of you two over the years you guys have been together. They also have every ounce of data you phones, computers, and tablets have already downloaded, anything you do will sync to the device that also has that specific thing you are modifying or doing. I hope you two find them useful."

"Thank you." Jay said after a few minutes of silence, "I'm sure they'll be useful."

Hadara gazed at Bree for a few moments before she asked a question in a small voice, "does the wedding hurt you, Bree?"

Bree smiled weakly and shook her head softly, lying through her teeth, "no, it doesn't hurt me Hadara." But it really did, ever since she had heard about the engagement through after her surgery nearly three years ago, it had been tearing her heart to tiny shreds, but she was good at hiding all of her negative emotions and nobody had ever seen the full extent of how badly the wedding was tearing her apart on the inside.

Hadara studied her for a brief moment, "truthfully?"

Bree sighed feeling extremely tired, "truthfully it hurts like I'm being stabbed repeatedly, truthfully I've been hurting since I found out that Jay was going to propose to you, truthfully my heart is breaking, truthfully I'm disappointed that I never had a chance, truthfully I'm happy for you two, and truthfully I'm glad you two are happy."

"Thank you for telling us how you really feel Bree," Hadara smiled overly brightly, obviously trying to hide what she was feeling at the current moment.

Bree nodded numbly, "your welcome Hadara. Now I may miss the ceremony, but I hope both of you know that despite what happens, you will always have my support."

"Thank you Bree," Jay murmured, looking down at his holowatch, feeling rather guilty for marrying Hadara while Bree was drowning in her hurt and heart break.

:( :( :( :(

"And that's how I got the holowatch." Jay finished with a faint smirk on his face, he knew there was no way that his daughter was going to let him end it abuprtly like that.

Sure enough, Catie spluttered indignantly, "what?! Keep going! What happened? Why was a bomb there? Daddy keep going!" She pleaded, sitting up and clinging to her father's right arm, "I wanna hear the rest! Please, Daddy!"

Jay chuckled, "alright, alright, we'll keep going. Where was I…"

"Mama gave you and the weird person, the watches!"

"Right, so that night I asked Bree about her feelings and what exactly she felt…"

:) :) :) :)

Ever since Bree had given him and Hadara the HoloWatch, Jay had been thinking about what Bree had said, and after mulling it over for a few hours, he decided to talk to her.

"Bree?" Jay asked as he walked over to where the inventor was in his office and was startled to see that she was putting away all of her inventing tools and had put the pull out away and neatly stacked the blankets and sheets on the couch. "Where're you going?"

"Home," Bree responded simply and turned to face him, "I'm going home to England Jay."

"Why?" Jay asked with slight confusion, why wasn't she staying for the wedding?

"Because I've been wanting to leave since the first planning meeting I attended," Bree responded quietly.

"Why did you help me if you've wanted to leave the entire time?" Jay asked, feeling a flash of hurt.

"Because I love you," Bree replied simply, the three words making Jay feel conflicted and guilty. "That's why I helped you, I'll always love you and you're one of my top priorities, even if we never get together."

"How strong are you feelings?" Jay asked softly, looking at his best friend who tensed up and hid all of the emotions she didn't want him to see, and he saw it right away. "Bree, don't hide your emotions like that."

Bree looked at him for a moment before she heaved a resigned sigh and slouched, "you don't want me to hide my emotions? Fine." Fighting the urge to keep an iron grip on her negative emotions, Bree let her grip slack and allowed the hurt, disappointment, bitterness, and vulnerability to show on her face and in her eyes. She then looked up at him, "there, happy now?"

Jay drew in a sharp breath at the vulnerability and other emotions in her amber eyes, before he repeated his earlier question. "How strong are your feelings Bree?"

"Fourteen years thriving and going strong," Bree joked before she answered the question, "Enough that if the wedding goes through I will never allow myself to see you in person ever again."

"Why?"

"Because I love you a heck of a lot more than I should." Bree responded softly, "and it would tear me apart all over again."

Jay studied Bree's eyes, "I'm sorry this is tearing you apart."

"Eh, I'll be okay," Bree smiled weakly as she put away the last tool and closed the lid to the tool box. "I'm no stranger to heart break." She sighed and flipped the lock of her toolbox. " While I may be going back to England, no matter what happens, I will always be your friend, your best friend." She said quietly and pressed a short platonic kiss to his forehead.

Jay closed his eyes at the contact, his heart felt heavy with guilt and confusion, but not at Bree, rather he was confused about what he was feeling.

:( :( :(

Jay's blue eyes opened resignedly and he shoved the blankets off before he pushed himself to his feet and he trudged toward his office that Bree had taken over. What he saw was that it was back to the way it had been before Bree had arrived besides the small notebook lying on the desk with a smiley face on the cover. He took a seat in his desk chair and opened the notebook, which held a decent sized note in Bree's usual half bubble letter writing with her her name scrawled out in a loopy and blocky full signature at the bottom.

 _Hey Jay, so I know you're probably thinking 'how could you leave me again?' Well as I said last night, I won't be able to handle the ceremony because I know there's a possibility of Hadara saying 'I do' even if you think there isn't. And I can't go through that much all at once. I promised Lion I wouldn't let you hurt me anymore and I couldn't bear to make him disappointed because he couldn't protect me any more than he already has; besides, I don't think I would be able to be at the wedding for longer than five minutes before I finally colapse or break down. But enough of that boring, dreary stuff, I just wanted to let you know that we're still best friends, I'm always available if you need me, and whenever you need advice I'm open to trying my best to help, even if you need help with Hadara. I hope you don't feel guilty for dragging me into this or about your feelings for me. Go live your life with Hadara or whoever and I'll always be happy if you're happy, even if I'm never the lucky girl. By the way, I'm always open for a call, no matter what the subject is._

 _I will love you forever,_

 _Breanna Blisse Grayas_

Jay leaned back in his chair and ran one hand through his grey speckled black hair, _So she left. Like she said she was going to._ He sighed and got to his feet, _I sometimes wonder what would've happened if I had fallen for Bree before Hadara, how different would it be? Would Bree have gone back to England forever? How happy would we be? What were the arguments we would get into? Would I have moved to england? And maybe even helped her build Lion?_ He sighed again as he pulled his suit from his closet, _I don't know, but I do know one thing, Hadara doesn't love me and I like Bree more than I should._

:( :( :(

Bree tightened her grip on her steering wheel, she was driving this time, and had been for an hour now. She had made sure that Jay had made it to the wedding before she had finally left the city, although she was going a little slow, something was bothering her. "Lion, do you have a weird feeling like something's wrong?"

"Yes, I am still trying to discover the symbol on the bomb from the rehearsal dinner, but so far nothing's working."

Bree looked surprised and loosened her grip to a more comfortable one, "really? You haven't found one within those two days?

"Yeah, it's a really rare looking symbol… wait, I found a match! The bomb's symbol matches the symbol of the Shadow's Hire Gang!"

"Where do they reside?"

"In Sacramento California…" L.I.O.N trailed off.

"...Where Jay lives!" Bree blanched as she slammed on the brakes, causing L.I.O.N to go come to a screeching halt.

"Uh oh…" L.I.O.N whispered, his voice scared.

"We're heading back there! Scan for anywhere where a gang could reside that has the needed resources for making bombs!" Bree instructed as she spun the steering wheel, making L.I.O.N do a sharp 'U' turn before pressing on the gas and starting to shoot back down the highway.

O-o O-o O-o

Jay straightened his tie as he waited for the music to start, he could only hope that Hadara wouldn't make him say no, it would look really bad if he said no, since he was the one to ask her to marry him in the first place.

:( :) :( :) :( :)

Bree clicked on her pen light and it's bright beam down the dark alley, "your sure this is the place Lion…?" She cut herself off with a gag as she caught the smell of blood, "nevermind, we're in the right place." She then retched a few times.

"Are you alright Bree? I detect a high level of copper in the air, can you breathe okay?"

Bree retched once more before she covered her nose with her hood and spoke, her voice muffled, "I'm okay, there's an overwhelming stench of blood though, which was I nearly upchucked." _**(puked)**_

L.I.O.N chuckled a little.

"What's so funny?" Bree asked as she moved deeper into the alley, looking for any clues or what the gang was up to.

"I haven't heard you use British words since we arrived here in America," L.I.O.N responded as he chuckled a little more.

"Yeah, well I'm also a born American… BLOODY HELL!" She shrieked, scrambled backward and tripped, landing back on her butt.

"Bree?" L.I.O.N's voice was concerned and serious, "are you okay?"

"I'm alright," Bree reassured her AI as she kicked off the human skeleton off of her left shoe and away from her, "and excuse me for my language," she apologized sheepishly before going serious, "I just had a skeleton keel over at my feet, kinda gave me a scare."

"Kinda?" L.I.O.N snorted.

"Shut up Lion, yes it scared me alright?"

XD XD O-o XD XD

Jay watched Hadara approach where he was standing, his blue eyes were as grumpy as usual. _I hope she says no._

:( :) :( :( :)

Bree moved deeper into the alley and shivered, "ugh, I forgot this group is all canaballs, which is a very disgusting and disturbing thought."

"Don't worry, I'm scanning for movement around the alley, we'll know if any of them are approaching."

"Thanks Lion, that's very reassuring," Bree thanked her AI as she shone her pen light around and passed a plan marked blackboard with pictures, descriptions, and other things before she swung back to it. "Oh my StarClan…" She breathed as she stared at the clearly marked plan for a few moments before she shot off back to L.I.O.N and practically dove into the driver's seat. She then fumbled with the buckle as she spoke at a rapid pace, "Lion, we need to hurry, if Hadara or Jay say no Hadara's going to be shot, so go full speed! I don't care if the police chase us there, we have to get there before or right after either of them say no!"

O-o O-o O-o O-o

Jay fixed his blue gaze on Hadara, curious about what she was going to say, and hoping that she was going to say no and not make him reject her for loving someone else.

"No," Hadara said, her voice shaking as she did so, "no, I will not marry Jay Jackson Bramble."

Everyone gasped in shock.

:O :O :O :O

Bree slipped into the backyard, her amber eyes alert as she scanned the scene to make sure both Jay and Hadara were uninjured. Once she did so she breathed a small sigh of relief and L.I.O.N contacted her over her digital watch.

"Are we too late?"

"No," Bree spoke in a hushed voice as she watched Jackson stand up, "we got here in time, Jackson's just about to act like the bait right now."

:) :) :) :)

"Excuse me," Jackson spoke up as he stood up, "can I say something?

Jay sighed at Jackson's interference, "go ahead Jackson," he gestured for the man to continue, it wasn't like he could ruin the ceremony that much more anyway.

"Jay doesn't love Hadara," Jackson retorted from his position standing in the crowd.

"Then who do I love oh smart one?" Jay drawled with a roll of his blue eyes, at this point he felt relieved, Hadara had said no, which meant that he was free. Althought Jackson's pain in the butt attitude was getting on his nerves.

Jackson opened his mouth to continue, but someone cut him off.

"Jackson," Jay and everyone else was startled by Bree's voice, including the hard edge in it, "don't you dare drag me into your mess." Everyone turned to look at the brunette who was leaning against the fence near the back of the house, and Jay found something strange, she was there but she wasn't at all dressed up, she was still in her earlier outfit of a hoodie, t-shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes all of which was streaked with what looked like motor oil. But she was there, and that was what mattered to Jay. "Jay has no feelings for me at all and Hadara is the one who said no, not the other way around." Bree continued coolly and didn't move from her spot leaning against the fence.

Jackson narrowed his eyes, "then he was lying."

"Why would Jay lie?" Bree pointed out, "you don't marry someone because you don't like them Jackson." Jay's lips twitched into a small grin, this was a side of Bree he hadn't seen before, where she fought with the intellect she was gifted with, most of the time she was pretty laid back and ignored arguments, but this one seemed important. "Nor do you plant a digital bomb beneath a table and expect it to not go off."

Jackson's eyes widened with surprise, how did she know about the bomb? Ignoring her comment about the bomb he argued with her, "He was going to say no anyway!"

"That's right, he probably was," Bree agreed as she straightened up and strode over to everyone else, "because Hadara's not in love with him, she's in love with you."

Jackson frowned and glanced at a man in a suit at the corner of the crowd before he shot back a reply at Bree. "what do you mean?"

"Jay reminds her of you a lot, it's simple really." Bree shrugged.

"Why're you here, you're not dressed up or anything!" Jackson shot back and glanced nervously at the man again.

"Because I'm not here to participate in the wedding," Bree replied coolly, her amber eyes flickering over to the man that Jackson had been glancing at.

Jay looked confused as well, _what is she doing?_

"I'm here to stop my best friend's girl from being shot." As Bree spoke, the man that Jackson had been looking at raised a pistol and Bree reacted as well as she tackled the man backward out of the seat

The gun went off, but it missed due to Jay pulling Hadara down and Bree's lunge, and people scattered as Bree fought the black clothed man for the lethal weapon.

Jay meanwhile, quickly pulled Hadara into the crowd, blending in while his heart pounded in his chest, this wasn't supposed to happen, the wedding was supposed to end peacefully, not with Hadara nearly shot and Bree saving their lives. "Follow everyone else!" He said to Hadara and ran back to where Bree was before nearly freezing in fear at the sound of another gun shot.

"Ow! Really? My cheek? You could've grazed any other part of my body but you just had to hit my face!" Bree complained angrily as she pulled the gun from the man, "just take a nap already will you?!" She then head butted him and the guy finally went limp as the hit knocked him unconscious. "Crackers and fudge!" Bree exclaimed as she got to her feet and rubbed her forehead, her nose wrinkled in pain, "that hurt!"

"Are you alright?" Jay asked her worriedly, his eyebrows furrowing slightly in worry as he noticed the blood staining her lower lip and the groove in her cheek from the bullet grazing her cheek.

"Yeah," Bree responded and wiped the blood from her face before she discarded the gun with a scowl, "I'm okay."

"What were you thinking?!" Jay exclaimed and impulsively shook her by the shoulders, "what if he had shot you?!"

Bree looked at him blankly, the adreniline was draining from her body and exhaustion was setting in. "You were in danger, I saved you, simple." She replied tiredly, "can you just be grateful and not berate me?" She said, her voice tired, "I just saved your life Jay, doesn't that count for anything?"

Jay seemed to think about it for a moment before he hugged her tightly, "you scared the life out of me."

"Welcome to the club," Bree replied and kept her arms at her sides, not wanting to get involved with anything.

Jay drew back, "I thought you said you were going back to england once the ceremony started.."

"Yeah, well L.I.O.N found the insignia of the maker of the bomb that Jackson had planted, I found the alley the gang that the maker was involved in, and found out that they were trying to kill you and Hadara, so I didn't go." Bree shrugged casually, "however, I fully intend to leave in a few hours." She then ducked out of his grip and started walking out of the yard.

"Just don't do that again alright?" Jay spoke, his voice wavering with slight nervousness, "I'd rather not lose someone I love more than a friend." The attempted shooting had finally driven the point through to Jay, yes, he loved Bree, for how long he had, he didn't know. But he did know that he loved her, even more than he had 'loved' Hadara for those first two years.

Bree looked back at him with a smile and her amber eyes gleamed happily. "I don't plan on it any time soon," she then vanished outside of the yard.

Jay took a deep breath before he went into the house that everyone was in with annoyed dread. "Settle down!" He shouted over the loud chatter, "the guy's out cold alright? Nobody is in danger, you're all welcome to go home now." He watched everyone disperse besides Hadara and Jackson with his hands casually tucked into his pockets.

Within a few minutes almost everyone left and Jay adressed Hadara, "no hard feelings?" He asked curtly with sincerity in his voice, after the scare Bree gave him, that was enough to finally make up his mind, Hadara loved Jackson not him, and he was okay with that as long as he had Bree.

Hadara smiled, her green eyes wer gentle and kind, "no hard feelings," she confirmed, "thank you Jay."

"No problem." He grunted, "now I'm going home." He turned on his heel and started walking away.

"Tell Bree she's a lucky girl," Hadara called to him, a smile on her face, "and that I'm sorry for getting in the way."

Jay nodded slightly to show he heard before he exited the building. Nearly right away, someone moved from their position leaning against the wall and walked alongside him, her voice bubbly and rather cheerful, "So, wanna ride?" Bree asked him casually as L.I.O.N pulled out of the parking lot and followed them, his blue scanner oscillating from side to side as he did so.

Jay cracked a smile, "sure," he said with amusement in his voice, "but not to my apartment, how about England instead?"

Bree flashed a bright grin, her amber eyes twinkling happily as she spoke, "I don't know, what do you think Lion?" She asked her AI with a small pat of his roof.

"I think it's a great idea," L.I.O.N said, amusement in his slightly southern voice, "Bree's house has been too quiet for far too long."

Bree blushed and smacked the car indignantly, "hey! It's not that bad!"

"I never said it was bad," L.I.O.N pointed out, "I only said that I think it's a great idea."

Bree huffed, "you said and I quote, 'Bree's house had been too quiet for far too long!'"

"What are you talking about?" L.I.O.N said innocently as he stopped so Jay and Bree could get in.

"Lion! Cut it out!" Bree exclaimed as she and Jay climbed into the sports car and buckled in.

"What? I'm not doing anything." L.I.O.N replied smoothly as he started toward Jay's apartment to fetch some of his stuff.

Jay laughed when Bree puffed out her cheeks and didn't bother arguing with the AI, clearly he was amused by the banter, this was what he appreciated, Bree's enthusiasm and hilarious technology that confused her to no end.

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

"That Caylee," Jay told his daughter as the seven-year-old looked at the original holo-watch in awe, "is the full story of how your mother gave me this thing." He said and gestured to the worn out device, his blue eyes softened slightly at the holowatch, it was a reminder of the whole thing, but most of all, it was a reminder that Bree had loved him for long time, and she still did.

"You were supposed to put her to bed Jay!" Bree sighed with exasperation as she walked into the room, amber eyes highly amused, "she has school tomorrow remember?"

"I'm aware," Jay rolled his eyes and watched her sit down on the small bed next to their daughter, "she asked for the story, not me."

"Hey Mom," Caylee looked up at her mother with the old watch in her lap, "did that really happen?"

Bree smiled and ruffled her daughter's hair, "of course it did! If it didn't, what would this scar be from?" She said and pointed at the thin scar that marred her cheek.

Caylee's eyes widened, "that's where you got shot!"

Bree nodded with a smile, "that's right, but you really need to get to sleep Pumpkin."

"Fine," Caylee sighed and handed her father the watch before she reluctantly got under her blankets and snuggled into them, her icy blue eyes drooping closed as she did so. A few moments later she was asleep.

Jay looked at Bree, his blue eyes oddly warm and kind, "you're her hero, you know that?"

Bree smiled at the sleeping form of her only daughter, "you put me in too much of a perfect light," she mused slightly, her voice mostly calm. "But yes, I know that I'm her hero."

Jay stood up and offered a hand to her, "one day I'll give her the watch," he said as he pulled her to her feet and let her go first as they left the room and closed the door.

"Cody is awake," L.I.O.N alerted them through their holo-watches just as their one-year-old son started crying.

"It's yours to do what you want with it!" Bree shrugged to Jay with a smile as she veered down a hallway toward Cody's room, "thanks Lion, I'm on my way over there right now!"

"Jay," Blisse's cheerful voice came over the watch, "that was a wonderful story, was is all true?" the curious female AI asked curiously.

"All of it is, just ask Lion," Jay said as he entered his bedroom and rubbed his eyes.

"Is it Lion?"

"All of it's true, even the bullet grazing Bree's cheek." L.I.O.N confirmed as Jay flopped onto his bed and picked up a book while waiting for Bree.

"That's so cool!"

"Alright you two, talk in the workshop, not across our watches!" Bree's bubbly voice interrupted the AI's conversations, "I don't know about Jay, but I would like to sleep tonight!"

"I want to sleep too," Jay confirmed and the two AIs turned off the communication.

:)

Bree came back into the bedroom a little while later and promptly threw herself down onto the bed while purposely knocking his book from his hands. "Blegh," she said with a cheeky grin, "that book's boring!"

Jay rolled his eyes and picked the book back up. "No it's not, it's very interesting, thank you very much," he replied smoothly and playfully threw the covers up and over Bree. His expression remained as grumpy as it always was, but affection lit his features, softening the grumpy look he had going.

Bree gave a noise of complaint before she decided to make the best of it and snuggled into the blankets with the intent of going to sleep. "The ending's horrific," she warned in a drowsy voice, "lots of dying characters!"

Jay looked over at what he could see of her -which was some of her dark brown hair- with confusion in his blue eyes, "why would a book have that kind of ending?" He didn't get a response and he sighed before opening the book, why would a book end with all of the characters dying?

:)

"What kind of an ending was that?!" Jay complained half an hour later as he dropped the book down onto the floor and pushed it beneath the bed, silently fuming at the book's ending, not a single character survived, just like Bree had said.

"I told you," Bree mumbled from her position lying on her side with her back to him with Jay's pillow held over her face to block out the light from the lamp, her brown hair was fanned out on her pillow, and the blankets were tangled around her thin body. "That author hates good endings."

Jay pinched the bridge of his nose before he sighed, turned off the light, and moved to lay down on his back beneath the blankets, "really? I totally can't tell." He drawled sarcastically and pulled his pillow from Bree's gasp -to which she complained- before he stuffed it beneath his head and got comfortable.

"Quit squirming." Bree muttered a moment later and smacked him lightly, his movements disturbing her sleep, "it's annoying…"

Jay rolled his eyes and obediently went still while closing his eyes, his mind still active. He couldn't imagine what it would be like if he had married Hadara, one thing was for sure, he never would've seen Bree again face to face. It would've hurt her too much to see him face to face when she loved him enough that she gave him everything and complained about how unfair it was only once. Not only would he have never seen Bree again, he never would've had kids with her and Caylee and Cody never would've existed, which was a thought that sent shivers down Jay's spine. Opening his eyes, Jay rolled onto his side, facing Bree and disturbing her sleep in the process.

"What's wrong?" Bree asked groggily, moving to get up and figure out what was wrong.

"Nothing," Jay responded as he looped one arm around Bree's waist and moved a little closer so he could entwine their ankles, "I'm just thinking."

"Well think quieter," Bree mumbled as she started to drift off, "I'm sleeping..."

Jay did as she asked, he closed his eyes and remained mostly still.


End file.
